The present invention relates to methods and pharmaceutical compositions for the treatment of ischemic conditions. In particular, the present invention relates to a method of treating an ischemic condition in a subject in need thereof comprising administering the subject with a polypeptide comprising an amino acid sequence having at least 70% of identity with the amino acid sequence ranging from the amino acid residue at position 186 to the amino acid residue at position 406 in SEQ ID NO: 1.