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The Remarkable Journey of Fondaparinux – Abdul Mannan

Dr Abdul Mannan/LinkedIn

Jun 29, 2025, 14:11

The Remarkable Journey of Fondaparinux – Abdul Mannan

Dr. Abdul Mannan, Consultant Haematologist at Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board, shared on LinkedIn:

“The Remarkable Journey of Fondaparinux:

The story begins with Jay McLean’s accidental discovery of heparin at Johns Hopkins in 1916. Decades later, Harvard and Uppsala scientists revealed heparin’s mechanism – supercharging antithrombin by 1000-fold.

The Breakthrough (1980s):
Researchers discovered a pentasaccharide sequence within heparin was responsible for anticoagulation – The exact key that unlocks antithrombin’s potential.

The Innovation (1987):
Maurice Petitou’s team at Institut Choay achieved the impossible – synthesizing the first artificial pentasaccharide (SR90107A/Org31540): The fondaparinux.

Clinical Success (2002):
Trials involving 7,000+ patients, fondaparinux (Arixtra) showed 55% RR reduction in VTE. Sanofi brought this revolutionary anticoagulant to market.

Why It Matters:
– Selective Xa inhibition
– No HIT risk
– Fixed dosing , no monitoring
– Synthetic precision over natural variability

This journey shows how molecular insight transforms patient care. Fondaparinux remains key in VTE prevention and led to modern anticoagulants.

What breakthrough in hemostasis research inspires you most?”