Saracatinib and 1400W to prevent long-term brain damage after nerve-agent exposure
Official title: Saracatinib and 1400W Counteract Nerve Agents-Induced Long-Term Neurotoxicity
Funded at Iowa State University · NIH-11162299 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project tests whether two drugs, saracatinib and 1400W, can protect the brain and reduce long-term seizures, thinking, and movement problems in people harmed by nerve-agent exposure.
Quick facts
| Grant type | U01 cooperative agreement |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Iowa State University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Ames, United States) |
| Project start | August 15, 2021 |
| Project end | July 31, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $758,516 |
| NIH project number | 5U01NS117284-05 |
| Project ID | NIH-11162299 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
People who were exposed to nerve agents (or similar organophosphate poisons) and who now have ongoing seizures, memory problems, movement difficulties, or mood changes would be the most relevant candidates.
✕Less likely to help
People without nerve-agent or organophosphate exposure or whose neurological problems have unrelated causes are unlikely to benefit from this work.
What this research studies
If you've survived exposure to a nerve agent and later developed seizures, memory loss, or movement and mood problems, this work is trying to stop those long-term brain harms. Researchers are using animal models that mimic nerve-agent injury to see if adding saracatinib or 1400W to standard emergency treatments lowers brain inflammation and neurodegeneration. They will monitor seizures, run memory and motor tests, and examine brain tissue for signs of inflammation and cell loss to judge whether these drugs restore function. The goal is to move promising lab results toward treatments that could one day help survivors.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If these drugs work in humans, they could reduce chronic seizures and cognitive and motor decline in survivors of nerve-agent or related organophosphate poisoning.
How similar studies have gone: In animal models, saracatinib and 1400W showed promising neuroprotective and disease‑modifying effects after seizure-inducing nerve-agent surrogates, but human testing is still limited or absent.
Where this research is happening
-
Iowa State University
Ames, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Thippeswamy, Thimmasettappa — Iowa State University
- Study coordinator: Thippeswamy, Thimmasettappa
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.