This $490,049 Project Grant award from the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS), under the Extramural Research Programs in the Neurosciences and Neurological Disorders (CFDA 93.853) program, supports research by Shearit LLC to evaluate the efficacy of their Lamiflo drug for reducing ischemic penumbra and core volumes in acute ischemic stroke. The 1-year study will test Lamiflo, a drag-reducing polymer that enhances blood flow, in rat models of middle cerebral artery occlusion to determine its ability to limit tissue damage and improve neurological recovery without increasing hemorrhagic transformation, with the goal of demonstrating the potential for Lamiflo as a novel neuroprotective therapy for acute ischemic stroke. Positive results from this Phase I study will provide the basis for a future Phase II application targeting FDA approval of an Investigational New Drug (IND) for Lamiflo.