Abstract: The present invention is directed to a simple process for the modification of the specificity of a peptidase of the hemostatic system by coupling polymers to the peptidase causing it to lose its reactivity in the hemostatic system, but enabling it to continue to react with certain inhibitors, effectors and substrates. The invention is furthermore directed to processes for the detection or quantitative determination of inhibitors of the peptidase in bodily fluids or other samples as well as to processes for their neutralization and/or removal from liquids. Finally, the invention allows the use of a polymer-coupled peptidase as drug and furthermore provides a device which makes use of such a peptidase in the removal of peptidase inhibitors from samples or from the bloodstream of a patient.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a simple process for the modification of the specificity of a peptidase of the hemostatic system by coupling polymers to the peptidase causing it to lose its reactivity in the hemostatic system, but enabling it to continue to react with certain inhibitors, effectors and substrates. The invention is furthermore directed to processes for the detection or quantitative determination of inhibitors of the peptidase in bodily fluids or other samples as well as to processes for their neutralization and/or removal from liquids. Finally, the invention allows the use of a polymer-coupled peptidase as drug and furthermore provides a device which makes use of such a peptidase in the removal of peptidase inhibitors from samples or from the bloodstream of a patient.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method to determine the concentration of anticoagulants as a function of the inhibition of thrombin formation in an assay mixture. The assay mixture is composed of two reagents and the diluted plasma sample. The diluted plasma sample containing an anticoagulatory substance is mixed with a clotting factor reagent, which is a combination of an excess amount of purified coagulation factors of the endogenous system, phospholipids and a weak thrombin inhibitor, which can be potentiated by an anticoagulatory substance. Then a coagulation cascade activator and calcium chloride, an activator reagent, is added to the mixture and formed thrombin is measured after a chosen incubation time. A proportionality between the inhibition of the thrombin formation and the anticoagulatory active components allows for a determination of the concentration of anticoagulatory active components in the sample.

Abstract: A method for the determination of plasminogen in body fluids in the presence of streptokinase using a substrate for plasmin, the action of plasmin on which results in a cleavage product which can be measured optically, which method comprises essentially simultaneous addition of streptokinase and chromogenic or fluorogenic substrate for plasmin to the body fluid, and determination of the amount of the cleavage product formed in a defined time, or of the rate of formation of the cleavage product, and from this the concentration of plasminogen, is described. When the amount of streptokinase which is used is such that the plasminogen present is in molar excess, this method can be used to determine the rate of activation of plasminogen.

Abstract: A method for the determination of a protease inhibitor using a protease which can be inhibited by this inhibitor, and using a substrate for this protease, is described, in which initially a liquid containing the protease inhibitor and the substrate are mixed, then the protease is added, and the rate of hydrolysis of the substrate is determined.

Abstract: A reagent for the photometric determination of the prothrombin time is described. The reagent contains a thromboplastin and a chromogenic substrate for thrombin, wherein this substrate is cleaved by the thromboplastin at only a low reaction rate. This reagent can be used for the determination of coagulation factors with the use of deficient plasma. Also disclosed is a method of preparing the reagent.