Cerestat NMDA ion-channel blocker data

Preliminary results of a Phase II trial in 132 patients showed evidence of clinical benefit and neurological improvement in patients at the higher doses at 90 days following stroke. The drug, being developed in collaboration with Boehringer Ingelheim, was well-tolerated in the multi-center, placebo-controlled, double-blind U.S. and European trial, according to a report at the American Academy of Neurology meeting in San Francisco.

Cerestat prevents nerve cell death and brain damage by preventing excessive entry of calcium into nerve cells. The primary outcomes measure in the trial was the NIH Stroke Scale, which gauges the severity of neurological impairment. Secondary measures included assessments of function, such as the Rankin Scale, and the Barthel Index of activities of daily living. ...