Talecris Launches Trial Exploring Use of Plasma Ingredient To Treat Blood Flow

RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK — Talecris Biotherapeutics is launching a clinical trial to investigate the use of an ingredient found in blood plasma to treat circulatory problems.

Talecris, which is based in RTP and operates a series of blood plasma donation centers, said Tuesday that it has enrolled the first patient in the trial.

The trial will focus on the use of Plasmin, which is derived from plasma, to treat acute peripheral arterial occlusion, or aPAO. Patients with aPAO have poor blood flow in the extremities due to blood clots.

Initial patients in the trial will be those who have suffered the onset or worsening of circulatory problems following a blood clot or an arterial bypass graft, the company said.

“Significant unmet medical needs remain for patients who develop blood clots in their legs,” said Anthony Comerota, an MD and director of the Jobst Vascular Center in Ohio, who is the principal investigator for the trial. “While intra-arterial administration of a clot-busting drug would be preferred to bypass grafting surgery, experience to date has been disappointing, either because the available drugs don’t demonstrate better effectiveness, or because the patient runs a higher-than-acceptable risk of bleeding complications resulting from the clot-busting drug.

“Plasmin works locally to dissolve the clot and has the potential to restore blood flow to the extremities with much less risk of bleeding,” he added. “Plasmin represents a major new opportunity in treating these patients.”

The multinational test will include some 40 people in the first phase and 140 people in a second phase.

APAO affects some 100,000 people in the U.S. each year.