Comparing two clot-busting drugs for sudden stroke treatment

This trial is testing urokinase, a medication that dissolves blood clots in the brain during acute ischemic stroke (the most common type of stroke). Right now, doctors use a different medication called alteplase, which is much more expensive. Researchers want to know whether urokinase works just as well and safely—and costs far less—so stroke patients worldwide could get life-saving treatment more easily.

Alteplase, the current standard stroke medication, costs about $700 per dose, putting it out of reach for many patients globally. This medication costs only $40 per dose, but we don't yet have clear evidence about whether it's equally safe and effective, so doctors need reliable real-world data to guide treatment decisions.