StrokeLink is the national clinical research network dedicated to stroke. It brings together researchers, clinicians, and hospitals around a shared goal: to accelerate therapeutic innovation and improve patient care—from the acute phase through post-stroke rehabilitation—through multicenter clinical trials and recognized multidisciplinary expertise.
StrokeLink, the clinical research network for stroke
Every year in France, nearly 150,000 people suffer a stroke. As the leading cause of acquired disability among adults and the leading cause of death among women, this condition represents a major public health challenge.
In response to this medical emergency, the national clinical research network StrokeLink, specializing in stroke, was established to accelerate translational research, improve diagnostic and therapeutic strategies, and promote faster patient access to medical innovations. Accredited by F-CRIN since 2022, the network brings together French hospital and university teams engaged in research and innovation in neurovascular pathology.
The network brings together a multidisciplinary community of neurologists, neuroradiologists, neurosurgeons, emergency physicians, anesthesiologists and intensivists, rehabilitation specialists, biologists, methodologists, and basic researchers. This organization facilitates the development and coordination of academic and industry-sponsored clinical trials covering the entire spectrum of stroke care.
Organization
Coordinated by Prof. Charlotte Cordonnier (Lille University Hospital) and Prof. Jean-Marc Olivot (Toulouse University Hospital), the network relies on centers located throughout France and also develops international collaborations, notably with ESOTA and several European and North American networks specializing in stroke.
StrokeLink is organized around 10 complementary working groups , designed to cover all scientific, medical, and methodological issues related to stroke. This structure fosters national collaborations and the emergence of ambitious multicenter projects.
Three thematic groups are dedicated to the major stages of the patient journey: the acute phase of stroke, prevention, and functional and cognitive rehabilitation. Seven cross-cutting groups strengthen the network’s expertise: methodology and feasibility, registries, biobanks, innovative strategies, education and communication, quality, as well as commercialization and interaction with industry. Together, they provide scientific, statistical, and operational support for projects led by the network’s teams.
Each group brings together experts from hospitals and university centers located throughout France. This collaborative organization helps harmonize practices, pool resources, and facilitate the rapid rollout of national and international clinical studies.
The StrokeLink network centers
Crédits : StrokeLink
Scientific Expertise
The network operates in various fields of expertise and offers a range of services for investigators and sponsors:
- Compliance with good clinical practices;
- Experience as affiliated centers or sponsors: multicenter, multinational, randomized, controlled trials;
- Experience in the national coordination of industry-sponsored studies;
- Operational support for clinical research teams at centers (Clinical Research Department of hospital facilities) ;
- Contribution to the establishment of registries and biobanks.
Notable Projects
Every year, the network contributes to tangible advances in clinical research.
Spotlight on OCEANIC STROKE
The OCEANIC-STROKE study evaluated asundexian, a factor XIa inhibitor, in more than 12,000 patients who had experienced a non-cardioembolic ischemic stroke or a high-risk TIA. All patients were already receiving standard antiplatelet therapy. The results show that adding asundexian significantly reduces the risk of recurrent ischemic stroke and is also associated with a reduction in major cardiovascular events (stroke, myocardial infarction, or cardiovascular death).
For more information: Asundexian for Secondary Stroke Prevention | New England Journal of Medicine
Contact
To learn more about the network, visit: strokelink-avc.fr
You can also contact the network by sending an email to the network’s project managers:
