Dr. Mayo and Dr. Arne Slungaard, the Department of Internal Medicine at the University of Minnesota Medical School, have collaborated to show that another bpep peptide, PTX003, promotes anti-coagulation in blood. The design of this molecule was driven by the observation that homologous platelet factor-4 (PF4) interacts with thrombomodulin to promote thrombin-mediated cleavage of protein C, resulting in formation of activated protein C that is a potent natural anti-coagulant. PTX003 is able to produce activated protein C in vitro, as well as in cell culture. Studies in animals are planned. Although still in the very early stages of evaluation, this drug lead may have utility in treating cardiovascular disease and preventing blood clotting in high-risk patients.