Antihemophilic factor human, also known as Coagulation Factor VIII or Anti-Hemophilic Factor (AHF), is a non-recombinant, lyophilized concentrate of coagulation factor VIII, an endogenous protein and essential component of the coagulation cascade. Antihemophilic factor is manufactured with reduced amounts of von Willebrand Factor antigen (VWF:Ag) and purified from extraneous plasma-derived protein by affinity chromatography. The small amount of VWF:Ag is used to purify factor VIII complex and then removed from the final preparation. The final purified concentrate contains albumin as a stabilizer.11. The complex was developed by CSL Behring or Baxter Healthcare Corporation and approved in the 90s.

Endogenous Factor VIII is essential to the clotting process in the body due to its involvement in the clotting cascade where it is responsible for acting as a co-factor to Factor IX. Activation of Factor IX leads to a cascade of signals that results in activation of Factor X, which then results in the conversion of prothrombin to thrombin, and as a result, leads to the conversion of fibrinogen to fibrin, the fibrous protein that creates the scaffold of the clot. Replacement of Factor VIII is essential for the treatment of Hemophilia A, which is caused by mutations in the Factor VIII gene, leading to a functional deficiency or complete loss of protein. Congenital loss or deficiency of Factor VIII results in the physiologic impairment of the coagulation clotting cascade, and as a result, leads to easy bruising and bleeding. Bleeding can range in severity from minor concerns, such as nosebleeds, to more serious events such as hemorrhaging in the joints, brain, or digestive tract