Vascarta Inc., a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company, announced the successful completion of its Phase 1 clinical trial evaluating VAS-101 (Vasceptor®) for the treatment of osteoarthritis. The study was conducted at Clinical Research Australia in Perth under the direction of Principal Investigator Dr. Adrian Lopresti, with publication and presentation of the data expected in the coming months.
Study Design and Results
The 60-patient, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial evaluated VAS-101, a proprietary curcumin gel, applied topically every other day for 28 days. The primary objective was to assess the effects of VAS-101 on pain in adults with chronic knee osteoarthritis. Secondary objectives included evaluating the therapy's impact on safety and tolerability, quality of life, daily function, and the use of analgesics.
Dr. Lopresti commented on the findings: "When taken orally, curcumin is limited by low absorption, which reduces its therapeutic potential. In this study, VAS-101 administered topically demonstrated promising pain-relieving effects in people with knee osteoarthritis. These findings suggest that Vascarta's Vasporta™ transdermal technology may overcome the bioavailability challenges of oral curcumin, enabling rapid, localized pain relief at much lower doses."
Addressing Bioavailability Challenges
VAS-101 represents a novel approach to delivering curcumin, a well-known natural compound with anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties. While curcumin's clinical utility has been constrained by poor oral bioavailability, VAS-101 is formulated as a highly concentrated, patented curcumin gel using Vascarta's proprietary Vasporta™ transdermal delivery platform, designed to enhance both local and systemic bioavailability.
Market Need and Treatment Landscape
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, approximately 21% of U.S. adults were diagnosed with arthritis between 2019 and 2021, with the knee being the most affected joint according to the World Health Organization. Current treatment options often progress from oral medications to invasive interventions such as intra-articular corticosteroids, hyaluronic acid, platelet-rich plasma, or ultimately, surgical knee replacement.
There remains a significant unmet need for non-invasive, effective, and well-tolerated therapies that can provide pain relief for patients, particularly those who cannot tolerate long-term NSAID use.
Company Perspective
"Osteoarthritis is one of the most prevalent and disabling chronic conditions," said Dr. Richard Prince, Vascarta Chairman, CEO & President. "The completion of this Phase 1 trial marks an important milestone in the development of VAS-101 and supports our vision to deliver a safer, effective, and non-invasive alternative for millions of patients worldwide."
Vascarta is a clinical-stage pharmaceutical company focused on innovative topical and transdermal delivery of therapeutics for inflammatory conditions, with lead programs in osteoarthritis and sickle cell disease.
