The inosine conundrum
Inosine has been known to promote recovery in rat ischemic stroke models, in which broad swaths of the brain are affected, but it remained unclear whether the compound might restore functions mediated by specific brain regions. Researchers at the Children's Hospital Boston and the University of California, Los Angeles have now used a more refined stroke model to show that inosine can restore functions that are localized to precise areas in the brain.1
The new findings provide additional rationale for investigating inosine's effects in humans, but the path forward remains uncertain. Alseres Pharmaceuticals Inc. has been developing inosine applications since 2000, but it is cash strapped and is seeking a partner. Meanwhile, some researchers think it might be better to start from scratch and develop an inosine derivative that has a longer half-life...