urokinase

Urokinase is a serine protease and thrombolytic agent used to dissolve blood clots. It acts by converting plasminogen to plasmin, an active fibrinolytic protease that degrades fibrin clots. Urokinase is indicated for the lysis of acute massive pulmonary emboli and for restoring patency in intravenous catheters blocked by clotted blood or fibrin. It has also been used in the treatment of deep venous thrombosis, peripheral arterial occlusive disease, acute myocardial infarction, and occluded dialysis cannulas. Unlike tissue plasminogen activator (tPA), urokinase does not require binding to fibrin for activation and thus can act on both free and clot-bound plasminogen[1][2][5][8]. Urokinase is produced from human neonatal kidney cells grown in tissue culture[7]. The drug was first approved by the FDA in 1978[2].

Brand names

KinlyticAbbokinaseAbbokinase Open-Cath

Other names

urokinase-type plasminogen activatorUK