New Molecule Shows Promise in Reversing Stroke Damage

New Molecule Shows Promise in Reversing Stroke Damage
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Japanese researchers have developed a powerful new molecule, GAI-17, demonstrating remarkable potential in reversing brain damage caused by stroke, even when administered up to six hours after the event, SciTech Daily reported. This discovery could revolutionize stroke treatment and potentially impact other neurological diseases like Alzheimer’s.

Developed by a team led by Associate Professor Hidemitsu Nakajima of Osaka Metropolitan University, GAI-17 works by blocking a protein called GAPDH, which is known to trigger neuron death. In experiments with mice that experienced acute strokes, treatment with GAI-17 significantly reduced brain cell death and paralysis compared to untreated mice.

Crucially, the new drug showed no concerning side effects, such as adverse effects on the heart or brain blood vessels. The ability of GAI-17 to show improvement even when given six hours post-stroke is a critical breakthrough, as the effectiveness of most current stroke treatments is highly time-sensitive.

Professor Nakajima expressed optimism, stating that GAI-17 is expected to be a single drug capable of treating various intractable neurological diseases. The team plans to verify its effectiveness in other disease models. These promising findings were published in the journal iScience.