Synthetic sugar-based blood thinner (8‑mer)
Official title: Development of anticoagulant sulfated glycans
Funded at Glycan Therapeutics Corporation · NIH-11194979 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A lab-made sugar-based blood thinner called 8‑mer is being developed as an alternative to animal-derived heparin for people who need blood thinning.
Quick facts
| Grant type | Sbir 2 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Glycan Therapeutics Corporation NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Raleigh, UNITED STATES) |
| Project start | August 16, 2023 |
| Project end | August 31, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $1,061,433 |
| NIH project number | 5R44GM148100-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11194979 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
People who currently need or receive low‑molecular‑weight heparin for blood clot prevention or treatment (for example during surgery, dialysis, pregnancy, or after deep vein thrombosis) would be the eventual candidates for this alternative.
✕Less likely to help
People who do not require anticoagulation or those with active major bleeding would not benefit from this therapy.
What this research studies
Researchers are using a chemoenzymatic method to make a uniform 8‑sugar anticoagulant (8‑mer) instead of extracting mixtures from pig intestines. They plan to scale up production many-fold and test how the compound behaves in the body using mice and nonhuman primates. Precise lab measurements (LC-MS/MS) will track drug levels and effects on clotting to compare 8‑mer with the standard drug enoxaparin. The work focuses on making a consistent product with faster clearance and lower immune risk than current low‑molecular‑weight heparins.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could offer a safer, more consistent, non‑animal-derived alternative to porcine low‑molecular‑weight heparin.
How similar studies have gone: Related synthetic and homogeneous heparin oligosaccharides have shown promising preclinical results, but fully replacing animal‑sourced LMWH in humans remains largely unproven.
Where this research is happening
-
Glycan Therapeutics Corporation
Raleigh, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Pagadala, Vijayakanth — Glycan Therapeutics Corporation
- Study coordinator: Pagadala, Vijayakanth
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.