Tirofiban is an antiplatelet drug

Medication

A pharmaceutical drug, also referred to as medicine, medication or medicament, can be loosely defined as any chemical substance intended for use in the medical diagnosis, cure, treatment, or prevention of disease.- Classification :...

. It belongs to a class of antiplatelet named glycoprotein IIb/IIIa inhibitors

Glycoprotein IIb/IIIa inhibitors

In medicine, glycoprotein IIb/IIIa inhibitors, also GpIIb/IIIa inhibitors, is a class of antiplatelet agents.Several GpIIb/IIIa inhibitors exist:*abciximab *eptifibatide *tirofiban -Use:...

. Tirofiban is the first drug candidate whose origins can be traced to a pharmacophore

Pharmacophore

thumb|right|300px|An example of a pharmacophore model.A pharmacophore is an abstract description of molecular features which are necessary for molecular recognition of a ligand by a biological macromolecule....

-based virtual screening

Virtual screening

Virtual screening is a computational technique used in drug discovery research. By using computers, it deals with the quick search of large libraries of chemical structures in order to identify those structures which are most likely to bind to a drug target, typically a protein receptor or...

 lead

Lead compound

A lead compound in drug discovery is a chemical compound that has pharmacological or biological activity and whose chemical structure is used as a starting point for chemical modifications in order to improve potency, selectivity, or pharmacokinetic parameters.Lead compounds are often found in...

.
Tirofiban is a synthetic, non-peptide inhibitor acting at glycoprotein (GP) IIb/IIIa receptors in human platelet

Platelet

Platelets, or thrombocytes , are small,irregularly shaped clear cell fragments , 2–3 µm in diameter, which are derived from fragmentation of precursor megakaryocytes.  The average lifespan of a platelet is normally just 5 to 9 days...

s. It therefore constitutes 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...

, specifically an inhibitor of platelet aggregation.

The drug is marketed under the brand name AGGRASTAT in the US by Medicure Pharma and the rest of the world by Irokocardio International SARL, Geneva.

It is sold in parenteral

Route of administration

A route of administration in pharmacology and toxicology is the path by which a drug, fluid, poison, or other substance is taken into the body.-Classification:Routes of administration are usually classified by application location...

 dosage forms intended and readily constituted for IV

Intravenous therapy

Intravenous therapy or IV therapy is the infusion of liquid substances directly into a vein. The word intravenous simply means "within a vein". Therapies administered intravenously are often called specialty pharmaceuticals...

 administration containing 5 mg or 12.5 mg, respectively.

Tirofiban has a rapid onset and short duration of action after proper IV administration.