A Safer Way to Save Newborn Brains: BelSU Researchers Unveil Promising Stroke and Oxygen Deprivation Treatment

The discovery has attracted widespread attention, including coverage by Russia’s largest news agency, RIA Novosti.

The research, led by Professor Mikhail Korokin of the Department of Pharmacology and Clinical Pharmacology at the BelSU Medical Institute, addresses one of the most serious challenges in neonatology: hypoxic-ischaemic encephalopathy (HIE). This condition develops in the first hours of a child's life due to oxygen deprivation and impaired blood flow during childbirth. Its consequences can be devastating, ranging from cerebral palsy and seizures to persistent impairments of reflexes and motor coordination.

The problem is alarmingly common. Among full-term infants, HIE is diagnosed in 15 to 30 out of every 10,000 newborns. Among premature infants, the rate rises to 600 cases per 10,000, making HIE one of the leading causes of neurological disorders in early childhood.

The proposed treatment uses epobis, a synthetic analogue of the hormone erythropoietin, which is known for regulating the body’s response to hypoxia by stimulating red blood cell production. In laboratory experiments on animal models, the researchers found that epobis restored motor coordination and significantly reduced the severity of neurological symptoms. A key advantage of the new approach is that the substance effectively suppresses inflammation in brain tissue, addressing the underlying mechanism of the damage.

“In both mild and moderate HIE, epobis provided the most stable neuroprotection, improving motor coordination functions and neurological outcomes,” Professor Korokin told RIA Novosti.

The researchers are particularly focused on safety. Unlike natural erythropoietin, epobis does not exhibit haematopoietic activity, meaning it does not overstimulate blood cell production. This eliminates the risk of dangerous complications such as thrombosis, making epobis a promising and safe candidate for further drug development aimed at treating neonatal HIE.