Factor XIII (human)

Factor XIII (human) is a heat-treated, lyophilized concentrate of coagulation factor XIII, an endogenous enzyme responsible for the crosslinking of fibrin and an essential component of the coagulation cascade . For people with congenital deficiency or mutation of Factor XIII, a rare bleeding disorder, exogenous replacement of this key coagulation factor is essential for management and prevention of bleeding episodes.

Also known as Fibrin Stabilizing Factor (FSF), Factor XIII is an endogenously produced coagulation factor and the final enzyme within the blood coagulation cascade. Within the body, FXIII circulates as a heterotetramer composed of 2 A-subunits and 2 B-subunits (A2B2). When activated by thrombin at the site of injury, the FXIII pro-enzyme is cleaved resulting in activation of the catalytic A-subunit and dissociation from its carrier B-subunit. As a result, the active transglutaminase from subunit A cross-links fibrin and other proteins resulting in increased mechanical strength and resistance to fibrinolysis of the fibrin clot. This contributes to enhanced platelet and clot adhesion to injured tissue, thereby improving blood coagulation and maintenance of hemostasis .

Other drug products with similar structure and function to Factor XIII (human) include Catridecacog, which is a recombinant form of the A subunit of human coagulation factor XIII. Compared to Factor XIII (human), which is purified from pooled human plasma, Catridecacog is produced through recombinant DNA technology where the target protein is grown in yeast and then isolated .

Factor XIII (Human), available as the commercially available product Corifact, is approved by the Food and Drug Administration for routine prophylactic treatment and peri-operative management of surgical bleeding in adult and pediatric patients with congenital FXIII deficiency . As the half-life of endogenous Factor XIII is long (5-11 days), prophylactic therapy with the replacement of FXIII can be given every 4-6 to maintain hemostasis.