Nasal spray developed for prehospital emergency aid for ischemic stroke

AI Summary

A pioneering nasal spray has been developed for prehospital emergency treatment of ischemic stroke, enabling medication delivery to the brain without injections. This innovation could transform emergency response in stroke cases.

A research team from Department of Pharmacology and Pharmacy at the LKS Faculty of Medicine, the University of Hong Kong (HKUMed), in collaboration with the InnoHK Advanced Biomedical Instrumentation Centre (ABIC), has developed the world's first "NanoPowder nasal spray." This innovation successfully overcomes the challenge of crossing the blood-brain barrier (BBB), enabling the delivery of medication to the brain without the need for injections or surgery. When used promptly at the early onset of stroke, the nasal spray provides prehospital emergency treatment, helping to save time, thus protecting brain cells and reducing complications. In the long term, it has the potential to become a community-based emergency rescue tool.