Every 40 seconds, someone in the U.S. has a stroke, with almost 140,000 Americans dying every year from the condition. But, things might be looking up for those who have suffered from its effects — ranging from slurred speech to paralysis.

FAU biomedical science researchers Jang-Yen Wu and Howard Prentice have patented a new drug that will change how strokes are treated, says a Newswise press release. The two found that combining three different drugs can reduce brain injury from a stroke and decrease the likelihood of death.

A stroke can happen when something blocks the flow of blood to the brain or when the brain begins to bleed.

This drug cocktail can also treat “traumatic brain injury,” which results from a violent blow to the head. The injury has similar effects to a stroke.

Up until now, attempts to treat strokes have been unsuccessful because of the brain’s complexity, Wu said.

To help test their treatment, Wu and Prentice partnered with South Florida-based pharmaceutical company CHS Pharma Inc.

So far, the drug has only been tested on rodents, but Wu hopes it will undergo a human trial period and eventually be commercialized for the public.  

Nicole Pujazon is a contributing writer with the University Press. For information regarding this or other stories, email [email protected] or tweet her @NicolePujazon.