Low Molecular Weight Activated Protein C Inhibitors as a Potential Treatment for Hemophilic Disorders

The synthesis and evaluation of inhibitors of activated protein C (aPC) are reported. This serine protease is partly responsible for the degradation of factor VIIIa, involved in the regulation of bleeding in hemophilia A. Benzamidine-containing derivatives were found to be potent aPC inhibitors, some of them showing selectivity against the procoagulant protease thrombin. Moreover, compound 1 significantly restored the generation of thrombin in hemophiliac plasma.