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A lab surprise turned frontline hope: we sit down with Dr Liz Dallimore, CEO of Argenica Therapeutics, to unpack a peptide drug designed to protect the brain during the chaotic minutes after stroke and other injuries. Built from a chain of arginines, the therapy targets the glutamate‑driven calcium surge that kills neurons, aiming to stabilise tissue while clot dissolvers or thrombectomy restore blood flow.

We trace Argenica’s journey from Perth lab benches to a multi‑centre Phase 2 trial across Australia, where the drug met its primary safety endpoint and showed encouraging trends in functional outcomes at day 30 and day 90, including a 23% improvement in cognitive impairment at day 90. Just as important, the 10‑minute IV infusion fits the reality of emergency care and did not interfere with the efficacy of standard clot‑busting drugs. That bedside practicality matters for hospitals and regulators alike, aligning neuroprotection with established stroke pathways.

The conversation digs into AI‑enabled imaging with Brainomix to better understand collateral flow, penumbra, and the fast‑progressor subgroup where an efficacy signal emerged. We also explore the broader pipeline: compelling ferret data in traumatic brain injury that supports a direct move into Phase 2, and an FDA‑orphan backed program in hypoxic ischaemic encephalopathy for newborns, now progressing through piglet studies and heading toward an IND and potential Fast Track. On capital, Liz outlines a pragmatic plan combining cash on hand, the R&D tax rebate, and non‑dilutive grants such as US Department of Defense funding to advance multiple trials without slowing the pivotal stroke study.

If you’re tracking innovations in stroke treatment, neuroprotective drugs, AI imaging in acute neurology, or the future of TBI and HIE care, this is a clear-eyed look at what’s working, what’s next, and how trial design is sharpening to benefit the right patients at the right time. Follow the show, share it with a colleague, and leave a review to tell us which milestone you’re watching next.