Medication that protects brain tissue linked to improved stroke survival: American Heart Association

2023 FEB 28 (NewsRx) -- By a News Reporter-Staff News Editor at Insurance Daily News -- Embargoed until 11:52 a.m. CT / 12:52 p.m. CT,

DALLAS, Feb. 8, 2023 - The neuroprotectant ApTOLL, a medication that may shield the brain from tissue damage, was linked to reduced death and disability among people being treated for stroke when used with standard treatments to restore blood flow, according to preliminary late-breaking science presented today at the American Stroke Association’s International Stroke Conference 2023. The meeting, held in person in Dallas and virtually Feb. 8-10, 2023, is a world premier meeting for researchers and clinicians dedicated to the science of stroke and brain health.

“The results are promising because for the first time a medicine studied as a neuroprotectant demonstrated not only a biological benefit by reducing the volume of damaged brain tissue, but also a reduction in long term disability and risk of death,” said study senior author Marc Ribo, M.D., an interventional neurologist at Hospital Vall d’Hebron in Barcelona, Spain.

In this clinical trial, researchers investigated if the neuroprotective medication ApTOLL may improve outcomes among people with stroke who also received standard treatment. ApTOLL is a TOLL-like receptor 4 (TLR4) antagonist involved in immune responses, yet it also responds to tissue damage. Previous studies in animals found that ApTOLL reduced inflammation and protected brain tissue from damage. Also, a first-in-human study in healthy adults did not find safety issues with ApTOLL.

From July 2021 to April 2022, more than 150 adults diagnosed with stroke (average age 70 years) treated in 15 hospitals in France and Spain were randomly assigned to either 0.05mg/kg of ApTOLL, 0.2mg/kg of ApTOLL or a placebo.

Within six hours of symptom onset, all participants also received the standard ischemic stroke treatment to restore blood flow to the brain - mechanical blood clot removal. This treatment, also called endovascular therapy, involves insertion of a tiny tube into the blood vessel to retrieve the blood clot. Study participants also may have received the clot-busting medication known as tPA if needed to help dissolve the clot.

Among the trial’s findings:

“If the results are confirmed with larger studies, it will mean that we can effectively treat patients with neuroprotectants, in addition to current standard treatments to restore blood flow,” said co-lead author Macarena Hernandez, Ph.D. “Both kinds of treatments may be combined, and neuroprotectants will buy time, reducing brain damage until blood flow is restored.”

A study limitation is its small number of participants. Larger studies are in the planning stages, according to Ribo.

The fifth-leading cause of death in the United States and a major cause of long-term disability, stroke caused more than 160,000 U.S. deaths in 2020, according to the 2023 American Heart Association Statistics.

Other study co-authors are Francisco Abad-Santos, M.D., Ph.D.; Ian Cotgreave, Ph.D.; Jaime Gallego Sr., M.D.; Bernd Jilma, M.D.; Alan Flores Flores, M.D., Ph.D.; Tudor G. Jovin, M.D.; Jose Vivancos,; M.D.; Maria Hernandez-Perez, M.D., Ph.D.; Carlos A. Molina, M.D.; Joan Montaner, M.D., Ph.D.; Joaquin Casariego, M.D.; Mads Dalsgaard, M.B.A., D.M.Sc., M.D.; David S. Liebeskind, M.D.; Erik Cobo, Ph.D.; Maria del Mar Castellanos, M.D.; Pedro Cardona, M.D.; Jaime Masjuan, M.D., Ph.D.; Francisco Moniche Sr., M.D., Ph.D.; Jose Tembl, M.D.; Mikel Terceno, M.D., Ph.D.; Juan F. Arenillas, M.D.; Patricia Calleja, M.D.; Lionel Calviere, M.D.; Jean Marc M. Olivot, Prof., M.D.; Hilde Henon, M.D.; and Mikael Mazighi, M.D., Ph.D. The list of authors’ disclosures is available in the abstract.

AptaTargets S.L. funded the study.

Statements and conclusions of studies that are presented at the American Heart Association’s scientific meetings are solely those of the study authors and do not necessarily reflect the Association’s policy or position. The Association makes no representation or guarantee as to their accuracy or reliability. Abstracts presented at the Association’s scientific meetings are not peer-reviewed, rather, they are curated by independent review panels and are considered based on the potential to add to the diversity of scientific issues and views discussed at the meeting. The findings are considered preliminary until published as a full manuscript in a peer-reviewed scientific journal.

The Association receives funding primarily from individuals; foundations and corporations (including pharmaceutical, device manufacturers and other companies) also make donations and fund specific Association programs and events. The Association has strict policies to prevent these relationships from influencing the science content. Revenues from pharmaceutical and biotech companies, device manufacturers and health insurance providers and the Association’s overall financial information are available here.

Additional Resources:

The American Stroke Association’s International Stroke Conference (ISC) is the world’s premier meeting dedicated to the science and treatment of cerebrovascular disease. ISC 2023 will be held in person in Dallas and virtually Feb. 8-10, 2023. The three-day conference will feature more than a thousand compelling presentations in categories that emphasize basic, clinical and translational sciences as research evolves toward a better understanding of stroke pathophysiology with the goal of developing more effective therapies. Engage in the International Stroke Conference on social media via #ISC23.
Keywords for this news article include: American Heart Association, Cerebrovascular Diseases and Conditions, Health and Medicine, Risk and Prevention, Stroke.

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