Drug Database
ST

streptokinase (Heberkinase)

✓ Approved

YM BioSciences Inc. · PLG · Recombinant Proteins

What is streptokinase?

streptokinase is a recombinant proteins developed by YM BioSciences Inc.. It is approved for therapeutic indications via injectable (others) or intravenous (iv).

Drug Profile

Brand NamesHeberkinase
CompanyYM BioSciences Inc.
Drug ClassRecombinant Proteins
Molecular TargetPLG
RouteInjectable (Others), Intravenous (IV)
StatusApproved
Sources: ClinicalTrials.gov, YM BioSciences Inc.

Mechanism of Action

Molecular Targets

streptokinase acts on 1 molecular target:

PLGplasminogen (HAE4)
Want deeper analysis?Noah AI can explain complex mechanisms and compare to similar drugs.

Therapeutic Indications

streptokinase is developed for 1 unique indication across 1 therapeutic area.

Therapeutic AreaConditionPhase
Cardiac disordersMyocardial infarction✓ Approved

Related Research Articles

PubMedCardiovascular & hematological agents in medicinal chemistry2026-11-05

Characterization and Stability Studies on Streptokinase Produced from Streptococcus equinus VIT_VB2 Isolated from Bovine Milk.

Vaishnavi B B, Mohanasrinivasan V V, Raja M Kavin MK, Sanjay Avantika A et al.

Streptokinase (SK) is a fibrinolytic enzyme with significant clinical applications, particularly in thrombolytic therapy for treating Acute Myocardial Infarction (AMI). The therapeutic potential of SK has prompted extensive research into its biochemical properties, stability, and catalytic efficiency to optimize its use in medical applications. The current study focuses on the characterization and stability of purified streptokinase produced from Streptococcus equinus VIT_VB2 isolated from bovine milk. The effects of pH, temperature, metal ions, organic solvents, surfactants, and inhibitors on the activity and stability of the purified enzyme were evaluated. Purified streptokinase was characterized by fibrin zymography, silver-stained SDS-PAGE, FTIR, and MALDI-TOF. The optimum pH and temperature for Streptokinase (SK) activity were 6.0-6.5 and 20°C, respectively. The enzyme retained more than half of its maximal activity between 0°C and 40°C, with peak activity at 20°C and a sharp decline above 60°C. The enzyme showed maximum activity in the presence of CaCl2, Fe2+, and Mn2+ cations. SK activity was inhibited by the tested surfactants and by PMSF and EDTA. The enzyme retained its activity in isoamyl alcohol, whereas activity decreased in all other tested organic solvents. Fibrin zymography showed a clear lytic band at 47 kDa, confirming the fibrinolytic activity of the enzyme. Silver-stained SDS-PAGE showed a single band with a molecular size of 47 kDa, which confirmed the fibrin zymography result. FTIR analysis identified spectral bands consistent with the expected secondary structure of the protein. MALDI-TOF analysis confirmed the expected molecular weight of the protein at 47.4 kDa with three distinct peaks. SK from S. equinus VIT_VB2 is stable under various physicochemical conditions. The thermal stability of the enzyme at low temperatures, along with its tolerance to isoamyl alcohol, could offer benefits for cold-temperature storage and innovative formulation approaches, especially in low-resource areas. The complete loss of activity in the presence of PMSF and EDTA reflects the assay's dependence on downstream plasmin generation and on divalent-cation cofactors, respectively, rather than an intrinsic catalytic triad in SK itself. The streptokinase produced from Streptococcus equinus VIT_VB2 retained high activity under optimal pH and temperature conditions and substantial activity across broader physicochemical ranges. The findings provide preliminary insights into the biochemical and physicochemical properties of the SK produced from Streptococcus equinus VIT_VB2.

PMID 42983616
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PubMedPloS one2026-10-26

Integrative in vitro, in vivo, and in silico investigation with mineral profiling of Combretum indicum: A multi-target therapeutic candidate exhibiting antioxidant, thrombolytic, anti-inflammatory, anti-arthritic, analgesic, cytotoxic, and anthelmintic activities.

Islam Zobayed Z, Chowdhury Hridoy H, Das Sujan Kanti SK, Tomal Ahnuf Zaman AZ et al.

This study aimed to comprehensively evaluate the pharmacological and computational potential of the methanolic extract of Combretum indicum. Mineral profiling by ICP-AES confirmed the presence of essential elements, including K (5.92 ppm), Mg (4.94 ppm), Fe (1.92 ppm), and Zn (1.13 ppm), with no detectable toxic heavy metals. The extract exhibited strong antioxidant activity with 95.48% inhibition of H2O2 and an IC50 of 0.82 µg/mL. Significant thrombolytic activity was observed, achieving 82.71% clot lysis, exceeding streptokinase. Anti-inflammatory activity showed 95.27% inhibition in vitro and 65% edema reduction in vivo. Anti-arthritic activity reached 85.6% inhibition in vitro and 87.50% in vivo, surpassing indomethacin. Analgesic activity demonstrated up to 70.15% inhibition of writhing. Cytotoxicity (LC50 = 30.19 µg/mL) and strong anthelmintic effects further supported bioactivity. Molecular docking revealed high binding affinities (up to -10.6 kcal/mol), while ADME and drug-likeness analyses indicated favorable pharmacokinetic profiles. DFT analysis confirmed chemical stability and reactivity. Overall, C. indicum demonstrated promising multi-target therapeutic potential, warranting further investigation for drug development.

PMID 42932358
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PubMedThe Journal of infection2026-10-19

Human antibody responses to Group A Streptococcus infection: A systematic review.

Barr Rachael R, Frost Hannah H, Abo Yara-Natalie YN, Tucker Faye F et al.

Group A Streptococcus (GAS) is a leading global cause of infectious disease morbidity and mortality. A major barrier to GAS vaccine development is our incomplete understanding of human immunity. We undertook, to our knowledge, the first systematic review describing human antibody responses following GAS infection. Eligible studies were publications reporting human antibody responses to any GAS antigen in individuals with microbiologically confirmed GAS infection. Case reports and studies primarily describing post-streptococcal autoimmune complications were excluded. Databases were last searched on 15th November 2025. Risk of bias was assessed using the relevant tools from the Joanna Briggs Institute. Results are presented in narrative form as meta-analysis was not appropriate. A total of 143 studies spanning 1948-2025 met inclusion criteria. Most studies (83%) were conducted in the Global North and focused on tonsillopharyngitis (79·4%). Antibody responses were measured in serum (99·3%) and/or saliva (2·1%), targeting 116 distinct GAS antigens. The proportion of individuals exhibiting an antibody response to five antigens (SLO, DNase B, GAC, M protein and Streptokinase) was significantly greater in cases when compared with healthy controls. In longitudinal studies, the peak antibody titres were detected at a median of 28 days post-infection. Higher pre-infection titres of some antibodies (M protein, SpyCEP, SpyAD, SLO, DNase B, SpnA, T25, K4S2) correlated with subsequent protection from GAS infection or reduced severity of disease in three separate studies. Heterogeneity across studies prevented clear conclusions regarding how post-infection antibody responses vary by GAS serotype, participant age, infection site, or disease severity. This review synthesizes 77 years of heterogenous studies describing antibody responses to GAS infection. Limitations of this review arise from the heterogeneity between studies and study risk of bias. Despite this, we identify major gaps in our understanding of the magnitude, kinetics, and protective role of antibody responses. Our synthesis uncovers information that will support GAS vaccine development including: guidance on sampling time points and the identification of antibodies that may be associated with protection from disease, as well as the need for standardisation of laboratory methodology and minimally-biased antigen discovery approaches.

PMID 42896813
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PubMedAdvanced healthcare materials2026-10-16

Translating Stroke Microenvironment Cues Into Materials Design: Intelligent Nanomaterials for Ischemic Stroke Therapy.

Chen Jiajun J, Li Xiangqi X, Deng Jiali J, Wang Ying Y et al.

Ischemic stroke (IS), caused by cerebral blood vessel occlusion, leads to ischemia, hypoxia, and irreversible brain tissue damage. Current treatments primarily rely on thrombolytic agents like alteplase, urokinase, and streptokinase for rapid reperfusion. However, these therapies are limited by narrow therapeutic windows, rapid clearance, poor blood-brain barrier (BBB) penetration, off-target effects, and the complex ischemic microenvironment. These have led to increased interest in nanomaterial-based platforms to improve the precision and efficacy of IS treatment. The IS microenvironment, characterized by oxidative stress, inflammation, ionic imbalance, acidosis, and BBB disruption, provides valuable cues for designing responsive nanomaterials. Nanomaterials engineered to respond to reactive oxygen species, pH, enzymes, light, ultrasound, or magnetic fields can enable targeted drug delivery, controlled release, and multi-modal interventions, enhancing therapeutic precision. This review discusses the IS microenvironment, limitations of traditional therapies, recent advances in intelligent nanomaterials for IS treatment, and the major barriers that currently limit clinical translation.

PMID 42885941
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PubMedPakistan journal of medical sciences2026-10-01

Outcomes of thrombolytic therapy in prosthetic valve thrombosis; a single centre study.

Rana Ikram Ahmed IA, Munawar Fatina F, Mubasher Ayesha A, Talha Bajwa Muhammad M

To determine the outcomes of thrombolytic therapy in prosthetic valve thrombosis. Data was taken from the hospital discharge database, of the Tahir Heart Institute, for patients admitted from January 01, 2016 to June 30, 2024. Definitive diagnosis was made with transthoracic echocardiography showing an obstructed prosthetic valve for patients presenting with new-onset dyspnea. Streptokinase infusion was given per ACC/AHA guidelines with twelve-hourly TTE for transvalvular gradient assessment. The primary outcome was successful thrombolysis with reduction in transvalvular gradients. Data was analyzed by Microsoft Excel. Patients were followed up over time. Approximately 0.1% of total hospital admissions, i.e. twenty-seven cases, were found to have prosthetic valve thrombosis. Target gradients on TTE were achieved for 71% (n=17) of mitral and 100% (n=3) of aortic valves: thrombolysis was successful in 74% (n=20), partial success in 18.5% (n=5) and unsuccessful in 7.4% (n=2) of cases. Subsequent complications were: myocardial infarction 7.4% (n=2), embolic phenomena 14.8 % (n=4), coronary emboli 7.4% (n=2), brain emboli 7.4% (n=2), re-thromboses 7.4% (n=2) and in-hospital mortality 7.4% (n=2) of cases. The mean time for follow-up after discharge was 3.04 ± 2.07 years; one patient died a year after discharge. Thrombolytic therapy with streptokinase has been shown to be an effective and relatively safe method for managing prosthetic valve thrombosis.

PMID 42819587
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PubMedHuman immunology2026-09-29

Rational truncation of streptokinase reduces immunogenicity while preserving plasminogen activation: in vitro and in vivo analysis.

Gunasekaran Vijay V, Suthakaran Pichaimuthu P, Namasivayam Vigneshwaran V, Ponnusami V V

The clinical utility of streptokinase, a widely used and cost-effective thrombolytic agent, has gained importance post COVID-19 due to increase in cardiovascular diseases globally. But the strong humoral immunogenicity exhibited by it, restricts its usage. Building upon our prior work of developing truncated streptokinase variants and their plasminogen activation study, we report here the results of immunogenicity studies for identification of variants with reduced immunogenicity. A panel of ten rationally truncated and recombinantly expressed streptokinase fragments were screened for antibody recognition and immunogenicity potential. Out of the ten fragments, two N-terminal constructs (amino acid residues 1-300 and 1-173) exhibited approximately 40-45% lower ELISA immunoreactivity compared with full-length streptokinase during initial in vitro screening. These fragments were also already reported to retain >85% of native plasminogen activation activity. In vivo evaluation of the fragments in rabbits demonstrated significantly attenuated humoral responses over a 28-day immunization period, confirmed by longitudinal antibody titration and cumulative area-under-the-curve analysis when compared to the full-length streptokinase. Fragment 1-173 emerged as a promising lower-immunogenic thrombolytic candidate, and this work demonstrates that rational domain minimization can decouple functional competence from immunodominant regions in streptokinase establishing a broadly applicable framework for engineering improved therapeutic proteins.

PMID 42810275
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