Interleukin-6 Receptor Inhibition for Symptomatic Intracranial Atherosclerosis

Inclusion Criteria: * Male or non-pregnant women with acute stroke symptoms aged over 18 years. * Patients having an ischemic stroke or a TIA prior to randomization (Patients having an acute ischemic stroke within 72 hours with NIHSS score≤5 at baseline, or patients having a TIA within 72 hours with Oxfordshire Community Stroke Project on the basis of age, blood pressure, clinical features, and duration of TIA symptoms (ABCD2) score≥4 at baseline). * The entry event is attributed to symptomatic atherosclerosis (50-99%) in an intracranial qualifying artery (intracranial carotid artery (C4-7), middle cerebral artery (M1), intracranial vertebral artery or basilar artery) confirmed by CT, MR angiography, or digital subtraction angiography. * Informed consent obtained from patients or their legal representatives. * Willing to be followed up as required by the clinical study protocol. Exclusion Criteria: * Thrombolytic therapy or thrombectomy within 24 hours prior to enrollment. * Pre-stroke mRS score ≥ 2. * Combined or previous intracranial hemorrhage: hemorrhagic stroke, epidural hematoma, subdural hematoma, intraventricular hemorrhage, subarachnoid hemorrhage, etc. * Any of the following unequivocal cardiac source of embolism: chronic or paroxysmal atrial fibrillation, sinus node dysfunction, mitral stenosis, prosthetic heart valves, endocarditis, left ventricular mural thrombus or valvular vegetation, myocardial infarction within three months, dilated cardiomyopathy, spontan…