Emerging agents for the treatment and prevention of stroke: progress in clinical trials.

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION: Recent years have witnessed unprecedented progress in stroke care, but unmet needs persist regarding the efficacy of acute treatment and secondary prevention. Novel approaches are being tested to enhance the efficacy of thrombolysis or provide neuroprotection in non-thrombolized patients. AREAS COVERED The current review highlights pharmaceutical agents under evaluation in clinical trials concerning the acute, subacute, and chronic phase post-stroke. We examine the evidence in favor of tenecteplase as an alternative thrombolytic drug to alteplase, nerinetide as a promising neuroprotective agent, and glibenclamide for reducing edema in malignant hemispheric infarction. We discuss the use of ticagrelor and the promising novel category of factor XI inhibitors in the subacute phase after stroke. We offer our insights on combined rivaroxaban and antiplatelet therapy, PCSK-9 inhibitors, and other non-statin hypolipidemic agents, as well as novel antidiabetic agents that have been shown to reduce cardiovascular events in the long-term. EXPERT OPINION Current approaches in stroke treatment and stroke prevention have already transformed stroke care from a linear one-for-all treatment paradigm to a more individualized approach that targets specific patient subgroups with novel pharmaceutical agents. This tendency enriches the therapeutic armamentarium with novel agents developed for specific stroke subgroups. ABBREVIATIONS IVT intravenous thrombolysis; RCTs randomized-controlled clinical trials; TNK Tenecteplase; COVID-19 Coronavirus 2019 Disease; EXTEND-IA TNK The Tenecteplase versus Alteplase Before Endovascular Therapy for Ischemic Stroke trial; AIS acute ischemic stroke; NNT number needed to treat; MT mechanical thrombectomy; sICH symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage; mRS modified Rankin Scale; AHA/ASA American Heart Association/American Stroke Association; ESO European Stroke Organization; NA-1 Nerinetide; ENACT Evaluating Neuroprotection in Aneurysm Coiling Therapy; CTA CT angiography; TIA transient ischemic attack; CHANCE Clopidogrel in High-risk patients with Acute Non-disabling Cerebrovascular Events; LOF loss-of-function; PRINCE Platelet Reactivity in Acute Nondisabling Cerebrovascular Events; THALES Acute Stroke or Transient Ischemic Attack Treated with Ticagrelor and ASA [acetylsalicylic acid] for Prevention of Stroke and Death; CHANCE-2 Clopidogrel With Aspirin in High-risk Patients With Acute Non-disabling Cerebrovascular Events II; FXI Factor XI; PACIFIC-STROKE Program of Anticoagulation via Inhibition of FXIa by the Oral Compound BAY 2433334-NonCardioembolic Stroke study; COMPASS Cardiovascular Outcomes for People Using Anticoagulation Strategies; CANTOS-ICAD Combination Antithrombotic Treatment for Prevention of Recurrent Ischemic Stroke in Intracranial Atherosclerotic Disease; SAMMPRIS Stenting and Aggressive Medical Therapy for Preventing Recurrent Stroke in Intracranial Stenosis; WASID Warfarin-Aspirin Symptomatic Intracranial Disease; SPARCL Stroke Prevention by Aggressive Reduction in Cholesterol Levels; LDL-C low-density lipoprotein cholesterol; TST Treat Stroke to Target; IMPROVE-IT Improved Reduction of Outcomes: Vytorin Efficacy International Trial; PCSK9 proprotein convertase subtilisin-kexin type 9; FOURIER Further Cardiovascular Outcomes Research with PCSK9 Inhibition in Subjects with Elevated Risk; CLEAR Cholesterol Lowering via Bempedoic acid, an ACL-inhibiting Regimen; REDUCE-IT Reduction of Cardiovascular Events With EPA Intervention Trial; STRENGTH Outcomes Study to Assess STatin Residual Risk Reduction With EpaNova in HiGh CV Risk PatienTs With Hypertriglyceridemia; ACCORD Action to Control Cardiovascular Risk in Diabetes; ADVANCE Action in Diabetes and Vascular Disease Preterax and Diamicron Modified Release Controlled Evaluation; VADT Veterans Affairs Diabetes Trial; GLP-1R Glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor; SGLT2 sodium-glucose cotransporter 2; CONVINCE COlchicine for preventioN of Vascular Inflammation in Non-CardioEmbolic stroke; PROBE Prospective Randomized Open-label Blinded Endpoint assessment.