HMN 2025: How Study provides new hope for safer bleeding therapies

A brand new study from UNC School of Medicine researchers, published this week in Blood, gives recent perception into how the physique varieties and dissolves blood clots—and will assist reshape how docs deal with sufferers susceptible to bleeding.

Led by Alisa Wolberg, Ph.D., professor within the Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine and UNC Blood Research Center, the analysis staff discovered that stopping the breakdown of blood clots doesn’t essentially enhance the danger of harmful clots, a priority that has lengthy restricted using sure drugs in individuals who bleed simply.

“For years, we have identified that blood clots are important to cease bleeding, however they ultimately must dissolve so the physique can return to regular,” stated Wolberg. “However, a priority has been that stopping that breakdown may push the physique towards dangerous clotting. What we have discovered is that this will not be the case.”

The study used a variety of instruments—analyzing sufferers who’re naturally lacking a key clot-dissolving protein, using genetically modified mouse models, and exploring genes and proteins that {control} clot breakdown. Across all approaches, the findings had been the identical: lowering or blocking the protein that causes clot breakdown didn’t enhance the formation of harmful clots often called thromboses.

The findings are particularly essential for sufferers who {experience} extreme or frequent bleeding, akin to trauma sufferers, people with bleeding problems, or girls with heavy menstrual bleeding. Medications like tranexamic acid, which assist forestall clots from breaking down, have been proven to cut back bleeding—however are typically prevented as a result of issues about clotting dangers.

“This analysis helps us higher perceive clot biology, and it additionally gives reassurance that these bleeding therapies could also be safer than beforehand believed,” stated Wolberg. “That means extra sufferers who want these drugs may be capable of obtain them.”

The study highlights not solely an essential scientific advance, but additionally the important function of biomedical analysis in bettering well being outcomes.

“Our work demonstrates the facility of discovery science,” stated Wolberg. “This sort of analysis can translate instantly into higher, safer therapies—and finally, save lives.”