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Akinchan Bhardwaj։ OCEANIC-STROKE Trial Signals a New Era in Secondary Stroke Prevention

Akinchan Bhardwaj/LinkedIn

Feb 7, 2026, 14:57

Akinchan Bhardwaj։ OCEANIC-STROKE Trial Signals a New Era in Secondary Stroke Prevention

Akinchan Bhardwaj, Consultant Interventional Cardiologist at Kauvery Hospital, shared a post on LinkedIn:

”A new antithrombotic strategy may finally reduce recurrent ischemic stroke without increasing bleeding

At the American Stroke Association International Stroke Conference 2026, the OCEANIC-STROKE trial presented an important signal in secondary stroke prevention.

Asundexian, a Factor XIa inhibitor, when added to standard antiplatelet therapy, reduced recurrent ischemic stroke without increasing major bleeding.

Key takeaways from this late-breaking abstract:

~26% relative reduction in recurrent ischemic stroke
Reduction in disabling stroke
No increase in intracranial or major bleeding
Consistent benefit across age, sex, and stroke subtype
Favorable composite cardiovascular outcomes

Why this matters:

For decades, efforts to intensify antithrombotic therapy after non-cardioembolic ischemic stroke have been constrained by bleeding risk. FXIa inhibition targets thrombosis biology more selectively, potentially separating efficacy from hemorrhage: “a long-standing unmet need”in stroke prevention.

Important context:

• Phase III, >12,000 patients, global trial
• Non-cardioembolic ischemic stroke / high-risk TIA
• Results are preliminary (conference abstract, not yet peer-reviewed)

If confirmed, FXI inhibition may represent a meaningful shift in how we think about long-term secondary stroke prevention.

Looking forward to the full manuscript and imaging substudy data.”

Akinchan Bhardwaj։ OCEANIC-STROKE Trial Signals a New Era in Secondary Stroke Prevention