Compounds Do Double Duty as Antimicrobials and Anticoagulants

Online, September 22, 2010 (Newswire.com) - Catheter-related bacteremia can be a significant cause of sickness and death for hemodialysis patients. The anticoagulant heparin is commonly used as a catheter lock solution to prevent thrombosis; however has limited antimicrobial activity.

In a research study presented at this year's Interscience Conference on Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy (ICAAC), a team led by Professor Markus Nagl, M.D. at the Medical University of Innsbruck and Dr. Mark Anderson CSO at NovaBay Pharmaceuticals evaluated the effect of three compounds on the blood coagulation pathways. The compounds evaluated were N-chlorotaurine (NCT) produced by human phagocytes as part of the innate immune system's response to pathogens; and two NCT analogs NVC-612 and NVC-422. All three agents have broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity, and exhibit anticoagulation activity. These activities allow for their possible use as catheter lock solutions.

Dr. Anderson stated: "The use of therapeutic catheter lock solutions containing antimicrobial agents, either alone or in combination with anticoagulant agents, may be an important addition for the prevention of intravascular catheter-related bacteremia."

The research team found that at specific concentrations of NCT, NVC-612 and NVC-422, prothrombin time was extended by 17-30%; activated partial thromboplastin time was extended 3-fold to 4-fold; and thrombin time was extended 2-fold to 4-fold. Furthermore, fibrinogen decreased from 258-283 mg/dL to less than 40 mg/dL in certain samples; direct thrombin inhibition was not observed.

Therefore, these compounds could serve as promising candidates for potential use as broad-spectrum antimicrobials for catheter lock solutions with anticoagulant properties.

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