$25.9 Million Grant to Accelerate Research on Hemorrhagic Stroke Treatment Emory and Grady
A transformative $25.9 million grant from The Marcus Foundation will support groundbreaking research aimed at revolutionizing treatment for hemorrhagic stroke. The funding will be used for the Rapid Evacuation and Access of Cerebral Hemorrhage (REACH) trial and its companion REACH registry, led by Emory University School of Medicine and Grady Health System’s Marcus Stroke and Neuroscience Center.
The REACH trial will focus on treating intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH), a severe form of hemorrhagic stroke characterized by bleeding within the brain tissue from a ruptured vessel. This condition, affecting approximately 3.4 million people worldwide annually, is known for its severe health consequences and significant economic impact. Despite advancements in medicine, treatment options for deep ICH remain limited.
Building on the success of the ENRICH trial, which validated minimally invasive parafascicular surgery (MIPS) for ICH in the brain’s lobar region, the REACH trial will be the first to explore MIPS for deep ICH, particularly within the anterior basal ganglia. The ENRICH trial’s findings, published in April 2024 in the New England Journal of Medicine, demonstrated the effectiveness of MIPS for ICH in more accessible brain regions.
Dr. Gustavo Pradilla, a leading neurosurgeon at Emory University and Grady Health System, highlighted the importance of the REACH trial. “This initiative represents a significant step forward to advance hemorrhagic stroke treatment. By refining the MIPS technique and expanding its use to the basal ganglia, we aim to transform the standard of care for patients with spontaneous ICH, improving outcomes and reducing the devastating impact of this condition,” said Pradilla, who is the co-principal investigator for REACH.
The trial will enroll approximately 600 patients across up to 60 stroke centers nationwide over four years, with enrollment expected to begin in December 2024. MIPS, which uses advanced brain mapping and small instruments to remove clots and control bleeding, offers a less invasive alternative to conventional surgery, potentially leading to better outcomes with minimal damage to surrounding tissue.
In addition to optimizing MIPS and establishing new treatment guidelines, the REACH trial will create a comprehensive data repository through the REACH registry to guide future clinical practices and promote broader adoption of MIPS for spontaneous ICH.
Michael Frankel, MD, chief of neurology and director of the Marcus Stroke and Neuroscience Center, praised the grant. “This grant, believed to be the largest philanthropic award ever made for clinical research targeting fatal stroke intervention, underscores The Marcus Foundation’s commitment to supporting lifesaving stroke research.”
Bernie Marcus, founder of The Marcus Foundation and co-founder of The Home Depot, emphasized the significance of the grant: “Breakthroughs like this new approach for the deadliest form of stroke and others made by the stellar team at the Marcus Stroke & Neuroscience Center will save and change lives around the world for decades.”
Principal investigators for the REACH trial also include Dr. Jonathan Ratcliff, associate professor of emergency medicine and director of neurocritical care at Grady Health System, and Dr. Alex Hall, assistant professor of emergency medicine and director of clinical trials at the Emory Neurosciences Lab and Trial Operations Core.
Dr. Ravi Thadhani, executive vice president for health affairs at Emory University, expressed gratitude for the grant: “We are profoundly grateful to The Marcus Foundation for this monumental award, which reaffirms the power of collaborative, visionary support in addressing one of the world’s most critical health challenges.”
