Stroke

Stroke occurs when a blood vessel that carries oxygen and nutrients to the brain is either blocked by a clot (ischemic stroke) or ruptures (hemorrhagic stroke). The deficits of a stroke depend on the location of the injury and the amount of damage leading to cell dysfunction and/or death.

The incidence of stroke in the U.S. is approximately 800,000 strokes per year resulting in a prevalence of an estimated 7 million patients affected by chronic long-term disabilities. Globally, an estimated 15 million people suffer a stroke every year.

Major health impacts persist after a stroke. The American Heart Association projects the total cost of stroke, which encompasses both direct and indirect spending, to increase from $105.2 billion in 2012 to $240.7 billion by 2030.1 The World Health Organization lists stroke as the #2 cause of death worldwide.

Sources:

1. Ovbiagele B, , et al; American Heart Association Advocacy Coordinating Committee and Stroke Council. Forecasting the future of stroke in the United States: a policy statement from the American Heart Association and American Stroke Association. Stroke 2013; 44 (08) 2361-2375.

2. Johns Hopkins Medicine

3. Hart, Robert G., et al. “Intracranial Hemorrhage in Atrial Fibrillation Patients during Anticoagulation with Warfarin or Dabigatran.” Stroke, vol. 43, no. 6, 2012, pp. 1511–1517., https://doi.org/10.1161/strokeaha.112.650614.

NTS-104 will be studied in a sub-population of ischemic stroke patients with large vessel occlusions (LVOs).