NCT07514949

The Feasibility and Safety of RK-4 Injection Bypassing Blood-brain Barrier in the Treatment of Acute Large Hemispheric Infarction Using Intracalvariosseous Injection Device

• Status: Not Yet Recruiting
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 6 (estimated)
• Sponsor: yilong Wang · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 18 Years – 80 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Not accepted

Summary

A pilot study confirmed the feasibility and safety of neuroprotectant RK-4 intracalvariosseous(ICO) injection in patients with malignant middle cerebral artery infarction (mMCAI), showing a trend in improving 90-day functional scores compared to conventional treatment. The aim of this trial is to investigate the feasibility and safety of neuroprotective agent RK-4 injection using intracalvariosseous injection device in patients with acute large hemispheric infarction (LHI) who has contraindications of reperfusion therapy or have got poor reperfusion therapy outcomes.

Detailed description

The mortality rate of large hemispheric infarction (LHI) is up to 40%-60%, while current available treatment is limited. Mainstream therapeutics include endovascular reperfusion therapy and decompressive craniectomy. But endovascular-reperfusion has limits such as short time window and hemorrhagic transformation risk, while decompressive craniectomy can reduce mortality but not infarct volume. Curative effect of intravenous injection of neuroprotective drugs is severely limited because of the blood-brain barrier. Microchannels connecting the skull bone marrow and dura may be effective drug delivery shortcuts bypassing the blood-brain barrier. Cytoprotective drug RK-4 affects dual aspects of ischemic cascade by disrupting both function of the synaptic folding post-synaptic density protein 95 (PSD-95), as well as α2-v#Aminobutyric acid type A receptor (α2-GABAAR) agonist. Phase I and Phase II clinical trials have confirmed the safety and efficacy of intravenous infusion of RK-4 in treating cerebral infarction, with the optimal dosage being 40mg. Preclinical testing proved that ICO injection of RK-4 solution 24h post rat permanent middle cerebral artery infarction reduced rat infarction volume and improved neurological function. Previously, our team has conducted the RK-4 intracalvariosseous administration in the earlier SOLUTION clinical trail through the existing neurosurgical devices. Although the safety and efficacy were preliminarily demonstrated, present administration device is not minimally invasive and requires operation in the ICU, which leads to a higher risk of the inner plate penetration. The new intracalvariosseous injection device shows promising prospective in precise control of the drilling speed and depth, and better achievement of accurate, high-efficiency and microinvasive drug delivery. The study is a single-centered, prospective, randomized, open-label study. The purpose of this study is to investigate the feasibility and safety of RK-4 injection using intracalvariosseous injection device in acute LHI patients with contraindications of reperfusion therapy or poor outcomes. Patients will be randomly assigned to one of the following 2 groups at 1:1 ratio. ICO injection group: RK-4 ICO injection through intracalvariosseous injection device (using an electric bone drill to drill 3 holes (each for 1-time administration) from the outer plate of the skull without penetrating the inner cranial plate), dose was given as 32 ug/kg once a day for 3 consecutive days, as well as standard treatment and management according to the related guidelines. Conventional treatment group: Conventional treatment group will receive standard treatment and management according to related guidelines. Face to face interviews will be made on baseline, 4±1 days after randomization, 8±1 days after randomization, 14±1 days after randomization or discharge day, and 90±7 days,180±14 days after randomization. The primary outcomes include feasibility outcomes and safety outcomes. Feasibility Outcomes include the internal plate of skull was drilled thoroughly, drug leakage during injection, the patient refused to continue, failure for other reasons during 3 days'treatment. Safety Outcomes includes Infection events (skin infection, osteomyelitis, or intracranial infection), symptomatic and non- symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage, moderate to severe bleeding (defined by the GUSTO), hepatic insufficiency, severe renal insufficiency during the treatment, severe or extremely severe anaemia (hemoglobin \<60g / L), mortality, incidence of other adverse events / serious adverse events reported. The secondary outcomes include the effectiveness outcomes. The effectiveness outcomes include change of Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) scores from baseline values to 14±1 days or at discharge, the change of the The National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) scores from baseline to 14±1 days or at discharge, the modified Rankin Scale(mRS) 0-3 points at 90±7 days and the mRS 0-3 points at 180±14 days. A Data and Safety Monitoring Board (DSMB) will regularly monitor safety during the study. The trial has been approved by Institutional Review Board (IRB) and Ethics Committee (EC) in Being Tiantan hospital, Capital Medical University.

Conditions

• Stroke
• Acute Ischemic Stroke
• Blood-Brain Barrier

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
DEVICE	RK-4 ICO injection	Patients included will be given skull outer plate drilling surgery and RK-4 ICO injection under local anesthesia and sedation using the intracalvariosseous injection device. The drilling and injection will be conducted once a day for 3 consecutive days.
OTHER	Conventional treatment	standard treatment and management according to related guidelines

Timeline

• Start date: 2026-04-15
• Primary completion: 2026-11-15
• Completion: 2026-11-15
• First posted: 2026-04-07
• Last updated: 2026-04-07

Locations

1 site across 1 country: China