Betrixaban is an anticoagulant

Anticoagulant

An anticoagulant is a substance that prevents coagulation of blood. A group of pharmaceuticals called anticoagulants can be used in vivo as a medication for thrombotic disorders. Some anticoagulants are used in medical equipment, such as test tubes, blood transfusion bags, and renal dialysis...

 drug which acts as a direct factor Xa inhibitor

Direct factor Xa inhibitor

Direct factor Xa inhibitors are a class of anticoagulant drugs which act directly upon Factor X in the coagulation cascade, without using antithrombin as a mediator.-Clinical uses:Direct factor Xa inhibitors are being used clinically...

. It is potent, orally active and highly selective for factor Xa, being selected from a group of similar compounds for its low hERG

HERG

hERG is a gene that codes for a protein known as Kv11.1 potassium ion channel...

 affinity. Betrixaban has undergone human clinical trials for prevention of embolism after knee surgery, and prevention of stroke

Stroke

A stroke, previously known medically as a cerebrovascular accident , is the rapidly developing loss of brain function due to disturbance in the blood supply to the brain. This can be due to ischemia caused by blockage , or a hemorrhage...

 following atrial fibrillation

Atrial fibrillation

Atrial fibrillation is the most common cardiac arrhythmia . It is a common cause of irregular heart beat, identified clinically by taking a pulse. Chaotic electrical activity in the two upper chambers of the heart result in the muscle fibrillating , instead of achieving coordinated contraction...

, with promising results.