Development of photoswitchable anticoagulants for local modulation of thrombosis and hemostasis

• Applicants: Dr. Sarah Beck; Professor Dr. Michael Decker
• Subject Area: Pharmacy ; Cardiology, Angiology ; Pharmacology
• Term: since 2025
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 559839626

In "photopharmacology", chemical structures that act as “photoswitchable” units - in our compounds azobenzenes and related strutures - are incorporated into drug molecules to obtain molecules that can reversibly change their structure and concomitantly theirpharmacological activity upon irradiation by light. A yet unexplored field of photopharmacology are targets of the hemostatic cascade. Their clinical relevance is enormous and the core problem of all efficient anticoagulant and antithrombotic drugs lies in their inherent inhibitory effect on normal hemostasis, causing excessive posttraumatic bleeding. Photopharmacology with ist spatiotemporal control of drug action could offer an unprecedented way to locally control anticoagulation and hemostasis by light. Since coagulation happens on an extremely short time scale and ist (reversal of) pharmacotherapy necessitates an equally rapid action, photoswitchable drugs offer unique opportunities. Aim of this project is the development of potent and selective drugs, specifically interacting with the coagulation cascade/thrombus formation, that are photoswitchable with desired photophysical properties and therefore allow spatiotemporally precise control of coagulation/thrombus formation/hemostasis - and ist reversal.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants
• International Connection: United Kingdom
• Cooperation Partner: Professor Matthew J. Fuchter, Ph.D.