A non-opioid investigational drug, ART26.12, developed by Artelo Biosciences in Solana Beach, California, has made progress in its clinical trials. The safety review committee (SRC) recommended advancing to the next dose level after reviewing data from initial volunteers in a first-in-human trial.
The compound was discovered and initially developed by Iwao Ojima and Martin Kaczocha at Stony Brook University. It is based on fatty acid binding proteins (FABPs) inhibitors and was licensed to Artelo in 2018 by the Research Foundation for the State University of New York.
Neuropathic pain affects about eight percent of the U.S. population, approximately 20 million people. ART26.12 targets chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy, a significant issue during cancer treatment.
Ojima and colleagues selected FABPs as drug targets within the endocannabinoid system to modulate lipids for treating pain, inflammation, and cancer. ART26.12 is Artelo’s lead compound in their FABP platform and is believed to be the first selective FABP5 inhibitor to enter clinical trials.
The SRC completed its initial safety review of ART26.12 for the first cohort of eight volunteers in early January. The phase 1 trial will now include more subjects and higher doses.
Artelo also sees potential indications for treatments related to cancer, osteoarthritis, psoriasis, and anxiety with this compound and other FABP5s under development.
Ojima, SUNY distinguished professor at Stony Brook University, and Kaczocha continue consulting with Artelo on advancing these compounds in trials.