Development of Anticoagulant Assays for New Anticoagulants and Their Reversibility in Vitro

We are developing in vitro assays of measurement of the effect of these drugs on the relevant coagulation pathways in plasma; such assays are not widely established. This will then allow us to test potential reversing agents such as activated Factor VII (Novo-Seven®), or Factor VIII inhibitor bypassing agent (FEIBA) for their ability to reverse these anti-coagulants invitro. The aims of this reversal research strategy is to provide a means whereby patients who present with serious bleeding or who need rapid reversal for surgery, for example, can be offered such treatment to allow rapid normalisation of their coagulation system. As part of this developmental programme, we wish to obtain samples from patients receiving Rivaroxaban or Dabigatran for therapeutic reasons, to test the effect of the respective drug on the relevant coagulation factors and to test in vitro reversibility. The only requirement for the patient is to have an extra 20ml of blood taken at a time when the patient is having other blood tests. There are no risks or experimental procedures planned to be carried out on patients.