Neuroprotective Drug Aids Stroke Recovery in 48 Hours

Stroke patients treated with loberamisal within 48 hours had better recovery than those who received a placebo.

Feb. 6, 2026 at 11:55pm

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In a phase III clinical trial in China, stroke patients treated intravenously with loberamisal, a novel neuroprotective medication, daily for 10 days starting within 48 hours of stroke symptoms, had a higher proportion of excellent functional outcomes at 90 days than patients who received a placebo. Treatment with loberamisal was considered safe because patients did not have an increased risk of serious side effects or death compared to those in the placebo group.

Why it matters

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. This trial tested loberamisal, a small-molecule, dual-acting neuroprotective agent that was an effective neuroprotectant in rodent studies, and the results suggest new treatments for stroke may come from multi-target neuroprotective agents.

The details

The study included 998 adults, ages 18 to 80, who were treated for 10 days with either a daily, intravenous infusion of 40 mg loberamisal or a matched placebo, started within 48 hours of a moderate to severe stroke caused by a blocked vessel. At 90 days after treatment, 69% of participants treated with loberamisal had excellent functional recovery (little to no disability) compared to about 56% in the placebo group.

  • The study was conducted over a 9-month period, from July 2024 to April 2025.
  • Treatment with loberamisal or placebo began within 48 hours of stroke symptoms.

The players

Shuya Li, M.D.

Director of the Clinical Trial Center and head of the Phase I Clinical Research Unit at Beijing Tiantan Hospital in Beijing.

American Stroke Association

The meeting, from February 4 to 6, 2026, in New Orleans, is a world premiere meeting for researchers and clinicians dedicated to the science of stroke and brain health.

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What they’re saying

“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. In this trial, we tested loberamisal, a small-molecule, dual-acting neuroprotective agent that was an effective neuroprotectant in rodent studies. 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.”

— Shuya Li, M.D., Director of the Clinical Trial Center and head of the Phase I Clinical Research Unit at Beijing Tiantan Hospital (Mirage News)

What’s next

Researchers want to confirm their 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. They also need to better understand how loberamisal works by studying biomarkers in multiple population groups.

The takeaway

This study suggests that a new neuroprotective drug, loberamisal, could lead to important advancements in reducing or preventing disability after a stroke, particularly when administered within 48 hours of the onset of symptoms. However, further research is needed to confirm these findings in larger and more diverse patient populations.