CLOPIDOGREL, A NOVEL ANTIPLATELET AND ANTITHROMBOTIC AGENT

Clopidogrel is a novel ADP-selective antiaggregating agent. This effect, which is several times greater than that of its parent compound ticlopidine, has been seen in various experimental animal species as well as in healthy volunteers and more recently in atherosclerotic patients. It is apparently due to the same mechanism of action. Of particular interest is the ability of this drug to prevent arterial as well as venous thrombosis in animals and also to reduce myointimal thickening occurring after endothelial injury of the rabbit carotid artery. Clopidogrel seems to be better tolerated than ticlopidine, and, on the basis of the activity/toxicity ratio observed, appears to be a promising compound for evaluation in atherosclerotic cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases. The outcome of clinical trials currently in progress could provide definite evidence of clopidogrel's efficacy.