The International Cerecap-Research Project

Combining neuroprotection/neurorecovery with reperfusion therapies – thrombolysis and thrombectomy - is one of the emerging areas in stroke research.

The US-trialist Prof. Tudor Jovin, the Principal Investigator of the well-known thrombectomy trials DAWN and REVASCAT, postulates that it is

“…an important priority to understand if adjunctive therapies can deliver better results when we combine neuroprotection with reperfusion or use different agents that would enhance the effect of thrombectomy”.

Find the whole interview here.

Since several years EVER Pharma is engaged in this research area. The starting point of this program was an important clinical trial investigating the benefits of combining rtPA and Cerebrolysin^®. The results of this trial were published in the International Journal of Stroke in 2012.

Current preclinical research aims to understand and explore more deeply the role of Cerebrolysin^® in combination with reperfusion therapies.

The interest in this concept has grown very strongly, as has the enthusiasm to create evidence for a possible improvement of recanalization and reperfusion therapies by Cerebrolysin^®. Meanwhile 13 research groups worldwide have developed research ideas and study protocols, which have recently been presented and discussed at a global investigator meeting.

What are the main features and benefits of this research collaboration?

Each of these 13 pilot studies has its own research focus, such as wake-up stroke, cardio-embolic stroke, intraventricular thrombolysis after subarachnoid haemorrhage, and pre-hospital treatment.

However, the focus of these studies is not only on the efficacy of Cerebrolysin^®, but also on the safety of such therapies, in particular a possible reduction of complications such as hemorrhagic transformation.

For the comparability of the therapeutic success, all research groups agreed to use a common set of standard neurological scales, such as the modified Rankin Scale (mRS), the National Institute of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS), and the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA).

This research initiative comes at a time when more and more countries are developing health initiatives to increase the use of recanalization therapies, either by reimbursing the active ingredients or by improving stroke services in hospitals that are essential for endovascular treatments such as thrombectomy.

At EVER Pharma, we value the commitment of the CERECAP research groups and their dedication to enable more patients worldwide to be recanalized while increasing safety and success. We are confident that the enthusiastic CERECAP research groups will succeed in this and show that “adjunctive therapies can deliver better results when we combine neuroprotection with reperfusion or use different agents that would enhance the effect of thrombectomy”.