KU Medical Center researcher testing drug to improve concussion symptoms

Drug tested in pilot study showed promising results in reducing common concussion symptoms.

Right now, the treatment for most people with concussions is simply to rest their brain by limiting physical and mental activities. Michael Rippee, M.D., associate professor of neurology at the University of Kansas School of Medicine, is partnering with a company to research a new drug treatment that might be a significant improvement over dark rooms and reduced activity.

“This could also be a critical step forward for the 20% or more of patients who have ongoing symptoms or have trouble with daily activities,” Rippee said. “Concussions can lead to a lifetime of health issues, including chronic headaches, depression, problems with thinking and memory, vision and balance issues, and sleep disorders.”

Rippee and his team have completed a pilot study testing ghrelin, a multifaceted gut hormone known for its stimulatory effects on food intake, fat deposition and growth hormone release. Famously known as the “hunger hormone,” ghrelin is being developed synthetically as a concussion drug, OXE103, by Oxeia Biopharmaceuticals, which sponsored this clinical trial of off-label use with the University of Kansas Medical Center….. Read the rest of the article here: https://www.kumc.edu/about/news/news-archive/concussion-drug-study.html