Methods, Devices, And Compositions For Lysis Of Occlusive Blood Clots While Sparing Wound Sealing Clots

Abstract

It has now been discovered that certain mutant forms of pro-urokinase (“pro-UK”), such as so-called pro-UK mutant “M5” (Lys.sup.300.fwdarw.His)-, perform in the manner of pro-UK in lysing “bad” blood clots (those clots that occlude blood vessels), while sparing hemostatic fibrin in the so-called “good” blood clots (those clots that seal wounds, e.g., after surgery or other tissue injury). Thus, these pro-UK mutants are excellent and safe thrombolytic agents. These advantages allow them to be used in a variety of new methods, devices, and compositions useful for thrombolysis and treating various cardiovascular disorders in clinical situations where administration of other known thrombolytic agents has been too risky or even contraindicated.

1 . A composition, comprising a mixture of single-chain M5 and two-chain M5. 
     
     
         2 . The composition of Claim  1 , wherein said composition is applied to the interior of a medical device. 
     
     
         3 . The composition of Claim  2 , wherein said medical device is a stent. 
     
     
         4 . A method, comprising a) performing a medical procedure on a subject, and b) introducing the composition of Claim  1  into said subject. 
     
     
         5 . The method of Claim  4 , wherein the medical procedure is balloon angioplasty. 
     
     
         6 . The method of Claim  5 , wherein step b) is done before step a). 
     
     
         7 . The method of Claim  5 , wherein steps a) and b) are done simultaneously.