Suffolk Reporter

A drug initially developed at Stony Brook University has reached a significant milestone in its clinical trials. The investigational non-opioid drug, ART26.12, designed to treat neuropathic pain, has successfully passed a safety review by the study's safety review committee (SRC). This approval allows the drug to progress to the next dose level in its first-in-human clinical trial.

ART26.12 is being developed by Artelo Biosciences, Inc., based in Solana Beach, California. The compound was discovered and initially developed by Dr. Iwao Ojima and Dr. Martin Kaczocha from Stony Brook University. The technology behind ART26.12 involves 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 an estimated eight percent of the U.S. population, roughly 20 million people. ART26.12 targets chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy, a common issue for cancer patients during and after therapy.

Dr. Ojima explained that FABPs were chosen as drug targets within the body's endocannabinoid system to modulate lipids within cells as a potential treatment for pain, inflammation, and cancer. "ART26.12 is the lead compound in Artelo’s proprietary FABP platform," said Dr. Ojima, adding that it is believed to be "the first-ever selective FABP5 inhibitor" to enter clinical trials.

The SRC completed its initial safety review of ART26.12 earlier this month with eight volunteers participating in the first cohort of phase 1 trials. The next step will involve more subjects and higher doses of the drug.

Artelo Biosciences indicates that other potential uses for ART26.12 include treatments related to cancer, osteoarthritis, psoriasis, and anxiety.

Drs. Ojima and Kaczocha continue their collaboration with Artelo as consultants on advancing these compounds through clinical trials.