The preliminary results of Cerebrolysin in patients with Acute ischemic STroke in Asia (CASTA) were presented at the 2010 World Stroke Congress in Seoul, Korea. CASTA is a double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized trial to evaluate the safety and efficacy of Cerebrolysin. The trial included patients from more than 50 participating centres with acute ischemic hemispheric stroke who were randomized within 12 hours of symptom onset to treatment (30 ml Cerebrolysin diluted in physiologic saline) or placebo (saline) given as intravenous infusion once daily for 10 days.

Carmen Lahiff-Jenkins, Managing Editor of the International Journal of Stroke spoke to leader in the field of stroke and strokeologist with considerable clinical trial experience, Professor Stephen Davis who has also been a member of an independent data and safety monitoring committee and has attended some advisory board meetings for the CASTA trial.