Urokinase (DB00013): A Comprehensive Pharmacological and Clinical Monograph

Foundational Characteristics and Molecular Profile

Identification and Nomenclature

Urokinase is a biotech therapeutic agent classified as a serine protease, known systematically as urokinase-type plasminogen activator (uPA).[1] It is a naturally occurring enzyme in humans and other animals, first discovered in 1947 by McFarlane and Pilling, though not named at that time.[1] As a therapeutic agent, it is identified by the DrugBank Accession Number DB00013 and the Chemical Abstracts Service (CAS) Number 9039-53-6.[1]

The drug is recognized under a variety of synonyms and international nonproprietary names, including Urokinasum (Latin) and Uroquinasa (Spanish).[3] Commercially, it has been marketed under brand names such as Kinlytic™, Abbokinase®, and Abbokinase® Open-Cath.[5] Other identifiers include Urinary Plasminogen Activator, Actosolv, Breokinase, and Ukidan.[3] For regulatory and classification purposes, it is assigned the Anatomical Therapeutic Chemical (ATC) code B01AD04 by the World Health Organization and the Unique Ingredient Identifier (UNII) 83G67E21XI.[1]

Physicochemical and Biochemical Properties

Urokinase is supplied for clinical use as a sterile, white or nearly white, amorphous, lyophilized powder.[7] As a protein-based therapy, its properties are defined by its complex biomolecular structure rather than a simple chemical formula.[4] The low molecular weight form of the protein, which is the principal active ingredient in therapeutic formulations like Kinlytic™, has an average molecular weight of approximately 31,126.5 Da and a chemical formula of

C1376​H2145​N383​O406​S18​.[4] It is important to note that some commercial preparations may contain a mixture of this low molecular weight form (approximately 33 kDa) and a high molecular weight form (approximately 54 kDa).[10]