Stroke patients treated intravenously with loberamisal, a novel neuroprotective medication, daily for 10 days starting within 48 hours of symptom onset had a higher proportion of excellent functional outcomes at 90 days than those receiving a placebo, according to a late-breaking science presentation at the American Stroke Association’s International Stroke Conference 2026 in New Orleans.
The phase III clinical trial, conducted at 32 centers in China, enrolled 998 adults aged 18 to 80 with moderate to severe ischemic stroke. Participants received either 40 mg of loberamisal or a placebo via daily intravenous infusion for 10 days, with treatment initiated within 48 hours of stroke onset. At 90 days, 69% of those in the loberamisal group achieved excellent functional recovery—defined as little to no disability on the modified Rankin Scale—compared to 56% in the placebo group. The treatment was deemed safe, with no increased risk of serious side effects or death.
“Neuroprotective agents may help improve patient outcomes since they are aimed at preserving the function of neurovascular units. However, trials for most of these agents have not been successful,” said study author Shuya Li, M.D., director of the Clinical Trial Center at Beijing Tiantan Hospital. “New treatments for stroke may come from multi-target neuroprotective agents, which could lead to important advancements in reducing or preventing disability after a stroke.”
The American Stroke Association’s 2026 Guideline for the Early Management of Patients With Acute Ischemic Stroke notes that neuroprotection has garnered renewed interest, and this trial addresses a critical knowledge gap. However, only about 17% of participants received standard IV clot-busting medication, limiting assessment of combined effects, and patients who underwent mechanical thrombectomy were excluded.
Study limitations include the trial’s single-country focus, which may limit generalizability. “We want to confirm our findings with larger groups of people, including people from different racial and ethnic backgrounds, patients with more severe strokes and those who also have had vascular surgery,” Li said. No blood or imaging biomarkers were assessed, limiting understanding of loberamisal’s mechanism.
Despite these limitations, the results represent a significant step forward in stroke care. According to the American Heart Association’s 2026 Heart Disease and Stroke Statistics, stroke is now the fourth leading cause of death in the U.S. The findings underscore the potential of multi-target neuroprotective agents to reduce disability after stroke.
