In March of 2024, Debra McVean suffered a stroke due to a blood clot in an artery in her neck. With her recovery in his hands, Dr. Thomas Carmichael is pioneering research. He’s exploring the potential of a drug called Maraviroc to aid recovery from strokes and traumatic brain injury. This clinical trial will answer the important question of whether Maraviroc can boost the brain’s natural capacity to rehabilitate after such severe trauma.
Carmichael and his team published their discoveries earlier this year in the journal Cell. Their work underlined the importance of the CCR5 gene in the normal functioning of the brain and in the brain’s ability to recover. Why did scientists overlook this astonishing discovery? Mice lacking the CCR5 gene due to a natural mutation completely and rapidly recovered from strokes compared to mice containing the gene.
“This is the first time that a human gene has been linked to a better recovery from stroke,” said Thomas Carmichael. His research suggests that Maraviroc could be key to reversing those impacts and ensuring recovery for humans as well. The drug’s blockade of CCR5 underlies improved recovery. Introduced in 2015, researchers first identified this effect in mice with chronic traumatic brain injuries and ischemic strokes.
At the moment, Maraviroc is being put through a randomized placebo-controlled trial across Canada with results due in two years’ time. The trial sets out to deliver definitive proof on whether this treatment can truly be used to improve recovery from brain injuries.
For the entire time that this trial is running, we don’t know if Debra McVean is taking Maraviroc or taking a placebo. Her recovery and experiences will be instrumental in providing insight into how CCR5 affects human recovery outcomes. This understanding will be key until the case goes to trial.
Now, the potential of Maraviroc has infused new hope for thousands of patients who have experienced strokes or traumatic brain injury. We’re hopeful that Carmichael’s research will lead to the development of new treatment options. These innovative treatments might allow patients to rewire their brains and heal more completely. It could be a few years before Maraviroc is approved by the FDA for use on brain injury patients.
