
More trial evidence supports drug tenecteplase for acute stroke treatment
UC expert's comments at international conference featured in TCT MD
Research data presented at the European Stroke Organisation Conference last week suggests clot-busting drug tenecteplase (TNK) is an effective, if not preferred, alternative to the current standard, alteplase, to treat patients with acute ischemic stroke who require a medication to break up blood clots.
TCT MD highlighted some of the trials presented at the conference, as well as expert commentary from attendees.
Trials of alteplase, also called tPA, were pioneered at the University of Cincinnati in the late 1980s, representing the first proven treatment for ischemic stroke. TNK is a more recently developed clot-busting drug that can be administered in a single IV injection within seconds.
Some researchers at the conference said the new trial data suggests TNK should be the first choice when a medication is needed to break up a blood clot.
Commenting on a TNK trial conducted in China, Eva Mistry, MBBS, told TCT MD the encouraging results are most applicable to patients who do not have timely access to mechanical thrombectomy, a minimally invasive procedure for acute ischemic stroke patients that uses a catheter to remove a blood clot from a blood vessel in the brain, which restores blood flow.
“But I think it’s an important trial that shows us that TNK helps lyse big clots. Mechanistically, that makes sense,” said Mistry, a UC Gardner Neuroscience Institute physician researcher and assistant professor in the Department of Neurology and Rehabilitation medicine in UC’s College of Medicine.
“But I would not delay transfer for this,” Mistry continued. “I wouldn’t do anything differently other than making a case that, ‘Well, I can now give them TNK in addition to doing everything else I was to get them ready for thrombectomy.’”
Featured photo at top of illustration of brain with stroke symptoms. Photo/PeterSchreiber.media/iStock.
Related Stories
WLWT: UC hosts RESET epilepsy trial
May 3, 2023
WLWT spoke with the University of Cincinnati's Brandon Foreman about a clinical trial testing a new treatment for status epilepticus, the most severe and deadly form of epilepsy.
WVXU: UC study tests tongue exercises to improve swallowing function after stroke
January 11, 2024
WVXU highlighted a new trial at the University of Cincinnati that will test an at-home tongue endurance exercise to improve patients’ swallowing function after a stroke.
UC marks 4 years saving lives with mobile stroke unit
August 15, 2024

The University of Cincinnati's Christopher Richards spoke with Local 12 about the four-year anniversary of the mobile stroke unit that can bring the emergency department directly to patients.