Acute ischemic stroke (AIS) is a significant cause of death and disability in 
the United States. It has been 10 years since tissue plasminogen activator 
became the first medication approved by the US Food and Drug Administration for 
treatment for AIS. However, this treatment simply reopens arteries. The 
identification of deleterious cellular reactions that occur secondary to 
cerebral ischemia has led investigators to search for neuroprotection strategies 
to complement reperfusion. More than 100 human trials, including a handful of 
phase III trials, had failed to produce an efficacious neuroprotective agent. In 
2006, the first positive trial of neuroprotection was published: the SAINT I 
(Stroke-Acute Ischemic NXY Treatment) study. In February 2008, the SAINT II 
study was published, indicating that NXY-059 was not effective for AIS 
treatment.