Methods For Pharmacologic Treatment of Stroke

This technology includes P2X4R adenosine receptor antagonists, including NP-1815-PX and 5-BDBD, for treating stroke. Stroke is the fifth leading cause of death for Americans and a leading cause of serious long-term disability. Current approaches to treating ischemic stroke are primarily limited to the administration of thrombolytic therapeutics such as tissue plasminogen activator, or to an invasive endovascular procedure involving the use of a clot removing/retrieving device. Thrombolytic therapeutics, however, must be given during the first few hours of a stroke, are associated with a risk of bleeding, and are only useful for ischemic strokes, not for hemorrhagic strokes. The clot removing/retrieving device is applicable in less than 10% of embolic stroke cases. Thus, improved medical therapy for stroke, particularly ischemic stroke, is needed and represents an unmet area of need.