Protease activated receptor 4: a backup receptor or a dark horse as a target in antiplatelet therapy?

Platelets are the primary component of pathological arterial thrombi. As such, antiplatelet therapy is a key strategy for treatment of acute coronary syndrome (ACS). The recent publication by Wong and colleagues earlier this year reported a compound, BMS-986120, that targets protease activated receptor 4 (PAR4) in a reversible manner (1). BMS-986120 effectively inhibits thrombus formation with minimal bleeding complications in their animal model (1). Their paper demonstrates the potential of targeting PAR4 as a promising antiplatelet therapeutic approach (1).