Transcrocetinate (TSC) is a novel compound that offers promise as a treatment for conditions caused by hypoxia or ischemia. Unlike crocetin, it worked well in the more severe hemorrhagic shock model. Although many of the earlier studies with TSC involved the treatment of the ischemic conditions of hemorrhagic shock in both rats and swine, a few other studies involved treating purely hypoxic situations. One study showed that TSC was capable of promoting survival in rats breathing 10% oxygen. TSC also was able to increase arterial PO2 values in a rat model of acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) caused by injection of oleic acid. The drug acts via a mechanism that has not been previously exploited in a pharmaceutical. TSC increases the rate of oxygen diffusion between the erythrocytes and the tissues by altering the 'structure' of water in blood plasma. It does this by causing additional hydrogen bonds to form among the water molecules. Animal toxicology studies have demonstrated that high levels of TSC are well-tolerated, and a Phase I clinical study has shown that TSC is also safe in humans. Delayed TSC treatment improves outcomes in experimental models of both ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke. TSC may be a safe and beneficial therapeutic modality for early stroke intervention, irrespective of the type of stroke involved. Transcrocetinate is in phase III clinical trial for the treatment of glioblastoma.