Global Use of Bovine Heparin: Challenges and Opportunities

ABSTRACT Heparin is a vital anticoagulant widely employed in medicine for endovascular procedures, hemodialysis, and the treatment and prevention of thrombosis. Traditionally derived from porcine intestinal mucosa, this dependency poses significant risks, including geographic concentration and reliance on a single animal species. Bovine‐derived heparin offers a viable and scalable alternative, though structural and functional differences have historically limited its broad clinical adoption. This review underscores the differences between bovine and porcine heparins while highlighting significant advances in the production of high‐anticoagulant bovine heparin (HABH), a form of bovine heparin with properties comparable to porcine‐derived heparin. HABH also serves as raw material for bovine‐derived low molecular weight heparin (LMWH) production, addressing global supply chain vulnerabilities and providing a sustainable solution to global anticoagulant demands. Additionally, the production process yields low‐anticoagulant bovine heparin (LABH), a scalable and cost‐effective byproduct with potential applications as non‐anticoagulant heparin, including demonstrated antitumoral and antimetastatic properties. Despite challenges such as regulatory hurdles, production scalability, and economic constraints, bovine‐derived heparin presents a promising strategy to diversify the global supply chain, reduce reliance on porcine sources, provide a religiously acceptable alternative, and enhance access to critical therapies worldwide.