Stroke (the collective name for cerebral haemorrhage and cerebral infarctions) is the second leading cause of death and the leading cause of disability. Currently, there is only one drug available – an anticoagulant; however, this drug is marginally effective and has over thirty contraindications and a high risk of fatal bleeding. As a result, 85% of stroke patients are not treated with this drug. The needed innovation would be a drug which is broadly applicable, i.e. has no contraindication, can be given in all forms of stroke and already in the ambulance, bears no risk to cause secondary bleeding, is effective (i.e. reduces the brain infarct, increases survival and improves neurological outcomes for patients) and  has a different mechanism of action (i.e. directly neuroprotective). Schmidt discovered a new therapeutic principle that fulfils the above requirements as part of his ERC Advanced Investigator Grant. This involves a combined therapy that targets three different points of the disease mechanism, thereby increasing the chance of clinical success.

The PoC research project, titled 'SAVEBRAIN: proof of principle for a first-in-class neuroprotective therapy in stroke and other acute neurodegenerative conditions', is being carried out in collaboration with the Fraunhofer Gesellschaft zur Foerderung der angewandten Forschung (Lübeck).