Artelo Biosciences has presented promising preclinical data demonstrating that their fatty acid binding protein 5 (FABP5) inhibitor ART26.12 shows comparable analgesic efficacy to naproxen in treating osteoarthritis pain, potentially offering a new therapeutic approach for the 606.9 million people affected by this debilitating condition worldwide.
Novel Mechanism Shows Promise in Preclinical Testing
Professor Saoirse O'Sullivan, Vice President of Translation Sciences at Artelo Biosciences, presented results from an animal study titled "The Fatty Acid Binding Protein 5 Inhibitor ART26.12 is a Novel Analgesic for Osteoarthritis Pain" at the British Pain Conference held in Newport, Wales, UK on June 3-5, 2025. The study utilized a surgical rat model of osteoarthritis to evaluate the therapeutic potential of FABP inhibitors.
The research demonstrated that both single and repeated oral doses of ART26.12 significantly increased the ability of rats to bear weight on the limb affected by osteoarthritis, with effects sustained for up to four weeks. "ART26.12 was effective in a dose-responsive manner, with sustained and consistent effects over 28 days," Professor O'Sullivan stated. "The analgesic effect of ART26.12 was similar to naproxen, a proven first-line therapy which is often hampered by a number of serious side effects when taken chronically."
Addressing a Global Health Challenge
Osteoarthritis represents a significant global health burden, affecting approximately 606.9 million people worldwide, including over 32 million individuals in the United States. The progressive joint disease involves cartilage deterioration over time, resulting in chronic pain, stiffness, swelling, and significant mobility loss, particularly affecting the knees, hips, hands, and spine. Advanced cases can lead to disabling pain, reduced quality of life, and loss of independence.
Clinical Development and Therapeutic Potential
ART26.12 is being developed as a novel, peripherally acting, non-opioid, non-steroidal analgesic. The compound is currently undergoing human trials, with data from the first Phase 1 trial anticipated in Q2 2025. While initially developed for the prevention and treatment of chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN), the osteoarthritis data suggests potential for broader pain management applications.
Fatty acid binding proteins are a family of intracellular proteins that chaperone lipids essential for normal cellular function. FABP is overexpressed and associated with abnormal lipid signaling in several pathological conditions. The data presented builds upon an extensive set of preclinical studies for ART26.12 that have demonstrated analgesic and anti-nociceptive effects across multiple pain models.
Broader Pipeline Applications
Beyond ART26.12's development for CIPN, Artelo's extensive library of small molecule FABP inhibitors has shown therapeutic promise for treating certain cancers, neuropathic and nociceptive pain, psoriasis, and anxiety disorders. The company is advancing a portfolio of product candidates designed to address significant unmet needs in multiple diseases and conditions, including anorexia, cancer, anxiety, dermatologic conditions, pain, and inflammation.
The osteoarthritis findings represent a significant step forward in validating the therapeutic potential of FABP inhibitors for pain management, potentially offering patients an alternative to current treatments that may carry significant side effect profiles when used chronically.
