In vivo antithrombotic effects of a nitric oxide-releasing aspirin derivative, NCX-4016.

In summary, these results demonstrate that NCX-4016 can inhibit thrombus formation in an in vivo model. This effect is most likely due to nitric oxide release from the compound, but may also be dependent, to some extent, on suppression of thromboxane synthesis. It is possible that in certain circumstances, a dual mechanism of action in inhibiting platelet aggregation, together with the documented ability of NCX-4016 to inhibit neutrophil adherence, could offer distinct advantages over agents that only inhibit platelet aggregation through a single mechanism. The marked increase in gastric tolerability of NCX-4016 over that of aspirin also represents an attractive feature of this compound as a prophylactic therapy for thrombotic disorders