GRANT OF THE MONTH
PI: Denis E. Bragin
Pitt subcontract Principal Investigator: Marina Kameneva
Title: Stroke Treatment by Modulation of Hemodynamics with Drag Reducing Molecules
Description: Stroke is a third leading cause of death in the US. To date, thrombolysis with tissue-type plasminogen activator (tPA) remains the only FDA-approved therapy for ischemic stroke. However, tPA’s potential benefits are often outweighed by the significantly increased risk of intracranial hemorrhage with a 50% mortality rate which dramatically increases with time after initial insult. Due to fear of complications, tPA is not advised later than·3 hours after stroke onset resulting in only 5% patients are qualified for this therapy. Thus, new effective therapies are still urgently needed for the remaining 95% of patients. Here we propose a novel treatment approach for the stroke at a later time after onset using modulation of the hemodynamic by soluble drag reducing polymers (DRPs). The development and use of the approach based on modulation of hemodynamic for the treatment of stroke is innovative. The proposed research is significant since it will provide the first evidence of the treatment of the ischemic stroke by modulation of the flow properties of blood by DRPs applicable into the later or even recovery phase of the ischemic stroke.
Source: NIH R21
Term: 09/01/2015 – 08/31/2017
Amount: $233,479