Scientists from Clinique Val d’Hebron have shown that the drug ApTOLL protects brain tissue from damage after a stroke and can significantly improve the survival of patients. The results of the study were presented at the International Stroke Conference held in Dallas.
The most common type of stroke is ischemic, in which a blood clot blocks a blood vessel in the brain. The study included 150 people with ischemic stroke (mean age 70 years).
All patients underwent mechanical thrombus removal within six hours of the onset of stroke symptoms. Some also took tissue plasminogen activator. This drug is effective in preventing paralysis or speech problems after a stroke, but only up to 4.5 hours after the onset of symptoms.
Patients then received either placebo or ApTOLL. People who took high doses of ApTOLL had a four times lower risk of dying from a stroke compared to those who took a placebo. In addition, in these patients, the area where the brain tissue was damaged decreased by 40%.
Of people who received high doses of ApTOLL, 64% showed no signs of disability 90 days after their stroke. In the placebo group, this figure was 47%.
For the first time, a neuroprotective drug has shown not only a biological benefit by reducing the volume of damaged brain tissue, but also a real reduction in the risks of long-term disability and death. However, the study was small, and many drugs that were previously effective in early clinical trials did not show benefit in larger patient cohorts.
The study was funded by AptaTargets SL, which manufactures the drug. Results are considered preliminary until published in a peer-reviewed journal.
Source: Gazeta
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