Boehringer Ingelheim study ‘confirms safety’ of Actilyse

Boehringer Ingelheim has reported that the results of its safe implementation of thrombolysis in stroke monitoring study (Sits-Most) published in the Lancet have confirmed the safety and efficacy of clinical thrombolysis therapy with Axtilyse (atelplase).

Actilyse, a clot-busting pharmaceutical injected intravenously is the first approved treatment for ischaemic stroke, preferably within three hours of the onset of symptoms.

The Sits-Most trial revealed administration with Actilyse resulted in improved mortality rates and similar functional independence and incidence of symptomatic haemorrhages at three months to those reported in previous trials.

Nils Wahlgren, professor of neurology at the Karolinska Institute, commented that time is of the essence in the treatment of stroke, with earlier treatment resulting in enhanced benefits for patients.

“Randomised placebo-controlled trials have already shown that patients who experience a stroke and receive Actilyse thrombolysis treatment within three hours of acute stroke are more likely to go on to survive and capable of managing activities of daily living independently,” he said.

He added that having the results of earlier studies affirming this validated by the Sits-Most trial is extremely important.

In May 2006, Boehringer Ingelheim launched the Act Now poster campaign at the European Stroke Conference to urge emergency staff to identify stroke patients as soon as possible in order to facilitate the administration of potentially beneficial early therapy.