Damage to the central nervous system as a result of oxygen deprivation at birth is a major cause of life-long mental and developmental handicaps. When there is not enough oxygen in the blood (hypoxemia) the brain is deprived of oxygen. Some brain cells respond by producing Epo. Epo then binds to oxygen-deprived brain cells. This binding triggers chemical reactions within the brain cell that prevent cell death. Epo also reduces inflammation around the brain cells and acts as an antioxidant. In animal studies, recombinant Epo (rEpo) administration, even up to six hours after oxygen deprivation, reduced subsequent brain injury by 50% to 70%.