The Pharmaceutical Journal
Vol 270 No 7235 p181
8 February 2003

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Stroke (stroke.ahajournals.org)

Vampire bat saliva component is promising treatment for stroke

A plasminogen activator found in the saliva of a blood-feeding vampire bat (Desmodus rotundus) is a promising treatment for patients with ischaemic stroke, a new study shows.

Desmoteplase, a fibrinolytic enzyme, has the advantage of not exhibiting the unwanted neurotoxic properties that are associated with tissue-type plasminogen activator (tPA), which restrict the use of tPAs in ischaemic stroke.

The researchers explain that tPA promotes excitotoxic and ischaemic injury in the brain, which has implications for its use in the treatment of patients with acute ischaemic stroke. Although tPA is effective if used within three hours of onset, prolonged or delayed use could exacerbate neurodegeneration and destruction of the blood brain barrier and thereby contribute to the increased risk of cerebral haemorrhage seen in these patients.

In a search for other plasminogen activators that lack detrimental effects within the central nervous system, they compared the ability of tPA to induce neurodegeneration with that of desmoteplase in mice models. Unlike tPA, desmoteplase did not exhibit neurotoxic properties.

The researchers conclude: "The inability of desmoteplase to promote neurodegeneration provides substantial impetus to assess the efficacy of this protease in stroke patients." A clinical trial using desmoteplase in acute stroke is under way in Europe, they say (Stroke 2003;34:537).