A global Phase 3 clinical trial of nerinetide, a drug that underwent some of its important early testing at UPEI, has shown dramatic outcomes in reducing the damage caused by stroke.
Stroke is the third-leading cause of death in Canada.
The results of the trial were recently announced at the International Stroke Conference in Los Angeles and published in the prestigious medical journal The Lancet, showing nerinetide could reduce brain tissue damage by more than 20 per cent and decrease mortality from 19 per cent to 11 per cent when given up to 12 hours after acute ischemic stroke, with no side effects.
Nerinetide underwent important early testing at UPEI by a team including Tracy Doucette (psychology), Catherine Ryan (psychology) and Andrew Tasker (biomedical sciences).
In a news release from NoNO. Inc., the company co-founded by Tasker to steer nerinetide through clinical testing, Michael Tymianski, president and CEO, said the results of the Phase 3 clinical trial are “scientifically groundbreaking”.
“Although patients who had prior administration of alteplase did not appear to benefit, likely due to a reduction of nerinetide plasma levels when alteplase was given first, we are excited by the magnitude and consistency of data in the pre-specified subgroup that were not treated with alteplase as well as the potentially long therapeutic window of nerinetide after stroke onset. In addition, nerinetide was well tolerated,” said Tymianski.
For the full news release, visit nonoinc.ca/press-release/.
