Cerebral hemorrhage accounts for 30-40% of mortality and is one of the leading causes of severe disability in adults. Spanish researchers have developed a new compound that reduces neurological damage and improves functional recovery in preclinical models of cerebral hemorrhage. The results show that the drug stops the bleeding and reduces inflammation.
Although it accounts for only 15% to 20% of all strokes, cerebral hemorrhage, or hemorrhagic stroke, is a neurological emergency. It poses between 30% and 40% risk of mortality and, in addition, is one of the first causes of severe disability in the adults. The main risk factor for this condition is hypertension. However, relatively common drugs (such as anticoagulants) also increase the risk of intracerebral hemorrhage, the researchers report in an article published in the Journal of the American Heart Association.
Despite its tremendous social and economic impact, there is currently no effective treatment for cerebral hemorrhage and the prognosis of these patients has not improved significantly in recent decades.
Now, scientists at the Center for Applied Medical Research (Centro de Investigación Médica Aplicada, CIMA) at the University of Navarra, in collaboration with scientists at the Santiago de Compostela Institute for Health Research (Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria, IDIS), have demonstrated the efficacy of a new compound (CM352) for the treatment of intracranial hemorrhage.
The results, confirmed in animal models, suggest that the new drug may represent a new strategy for treating intracranial hemorrhage. “From now on the research will focus on analyzing the factors that regulate the efficacy of this molecule in samples from patients with intracerebral hemorrhage, in order to design future clinical trials. The final objective is the integration of the preclinical and clinical studies that allow developing a new anti-hemorrhagic treatment for this pathology,” the authors said.
Improves patient recovery
The molecule designed in the CIMA reduces neurological damage and improves functional recovery after intracerebral hemorrhage. According to the scientists, CM352 is a potent anti-hemorrhagic agent with a safe and effective mechanism of action.
“The joint research between the two institutions has shown that [CM352] stops intracranial bleeding and reduces inflammation, leading to smaller brain lesions and improved functional recovery,” said main authors Josune Orbe and Tomás Sobrino, researchers at CIMA and IDIS, respectively.
Source: Agencia SINC
