<br>        Inclusion Criteria:<br><br>          -  Acute ischemic stroke of hemispheric localization (exclude brainstem and cerebellum),<br>             of suspected thromboembolic origin.<br><br>          -  Males or females aged 18 years or over.<br><br>          -  National Institute of Health Stroke Scale (NIH-SS) total score 8 to 23 with a motor<br>             deficit >/= 2 (for either one arm or leg) and level of consciousness < 2 and at least<br>             one of the following: Visual field deficit, neglect, or aphasia. If a patient<br>             receives t-PA, NIH-SS must be performed prior to receiving the study drug but after<br>             infusion of t-PA is initiated.<br><br>          -  Signed informed consent from patient or legally authorized representative<br><br>        Exclusion Criteria:<br><br>          -  CT scan evidence of:<br><br>          -  Clearly defined areas of hypodensity indicating infarction of >1/3 of the MCA<br>             territory or evidence of significant mass effect with shift of midline or major areas<br>             of sulcal effacement associated with loss of cortical definition (grey-white<br>             distinction).  Minor early CT changes are common in MCA strokes and patients with<br>             early or subtle changes are eligible.<br><br>          -  A primary intra-cerebral haemorrhage or any finding not consistent with an acute<br>             ischemic stroke as the cause of presenting symptoms.<br><br>          -  Clinical evidence of acute stroke due to lacunar infarct (pure motor hemiplegia; pure<br>             sensory deficit, ataxia/clumsy hand syndromes)<br><br>          -  Neurological (other than the presenting stroke) or psychiatric conditions that may<br>             affect the patient's functional status and/or that may interfere with the patient's<br>             assessment<br><br>          -  Clinically relevant pre-existing neurological deficit (Historical Rankin score >/= 2<br>             regardless of cause)<br><br>          -  Generalized seizures having developed since the onset of stroke symptoms<br><br>          -  Systolic blood pressure > 210 or < 110 mmHg (confirmed by up to three readings prior<br>             to randomization)<br><br>          -  Diastolic blood pressure > 110 or < 60 mmHg (confirmed by up to three readings prior<br>             to randomization)<br><br>          -  Myocardial infarction within 3 months,  unstable angina within 3-5 days prior to<br>             starting infusion, unstable supra-ventricular and/or ventricular arrhythmia, severe<br>             conduction defect (AV block grades 2 and 3), complete left or right Bundle Branch<br>             Block, bradycardia (heart rate [HR] less than 50 bpm), uncompensated heart failure<br><br>          -  History of myocarditis, cardiomyopathy or aortic stenosis<br><br>          -  Patients known to have prolonged QTc intervals (inherited and sporadic syndromes of<br>             QTc prolongation or QTc interval > 450 msec males and 470 msec females on baseline<br>             ECG) or using Class IA or Class III antiarrhythmic drugs (e.g., quinidine,<br>             procainamide, amiodarone, sotalol)<br><br>          -  Any patients that require initiation of new digoxin therapy are excluded.  Patients<br>             already on digoxin therapy (for at least 1 month stable dose) at time of enrollment<br>             will be allowed in the study.<br><br>          -  Electrolyte imbalance at baseline.  Should the results not be available before<br>             starting the study drug infusion, the patients will be allowed in the study providing<br>             that the corrective therapy of any abnormal electrolyte results is implemented<br>             immediately upon availability of the laboratory report.<br><br>          -  Any conditions predisposing to electrolyte imbalances (e.g., chronic vomiting,<br>             anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa) will also be excluded at baseline.<br><br>          -  Participation in a research protocol for investigation of a pharmaceutical agent or<br>             innovative invasive procedure (including intra-arterial t-PA) within the past 30 days<br><br>          -  Previously in the BRAIN-Study or treated with repinotan<br><br>          -  Life expectancy of less than 6 months due to comorbid conditions<br><br>          -  Any other known clinically significant medical disorder (e.g., cardiovascular,<br>             gastrointestinal, hepatic, renal, endocrine, major uncompensated metabolic<br>             disturbances, respiratory, immunological, hematological or bleeding disorder, cancer,<br>             AIDS)<br>