Artelo Biosciences collaborates with Trinity College Dublin to investigate cannabinoid receptor agonist for the treatment of cancer cachexia

Artelo Biosciences, Inc. embarks on a collaboration with researchers from Trinity College Dublin to investigate pre-clinical models of human cancer cachexia, a wasting syndrome that affects up to 80% of all cancer patients and is believed to hasten death in this population.

Artelo Biosciences, Inc. is a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company focused on the development of therapeutics that modulate endogenous signaling pathways, including the endocannabinoid system (which is composed of neurotransmitters active in the central nervous system). The Trinity team, led by Richard Porter, Associate Professor in Trinity’s School of Biochemistry & Immunology, will work with Artelo’s peripherally restricted cannabinoid receptor agonist, ART27.13, in preclinical models of human cancer cachexia.

Dr. Richard K. Porter, stated, “I am excited to partner with Artelo to expand the research around ART27.13 for the treatment of cachexia. Cachexia, or wasting syndrome, causes metabolic abnormalities resulting in muscle protein loss that is often present in patients with advanced cancer. Even though cancer induced cachexia has very significant clinical consequences, there is unfortunately a limited amount of research surrounding the pre-clinical mechanisms leading to the syndrome. As a result, I believe this is a very important and exciting area of research as there is the potential of a significant impact on patients’ quality of life during a very vulnerable time in their lives.”

“We are delighted to enter into a collaboration with Trinity College Dublin, as this research will be key to advancing our understanding of ART27.13’s breadth of activity and helping us guide future clinical development for this program,” affirmed Gregory Gorgas, Artelo President & Chief Executive Officer. “Dr. Porter has over 30 years of research experience and is an expert in metabolism and bioenergetics. Our goal is to combine this data with the results of our ongoing clinical research in cancer anorexia, which we believe will increase our understanding of potential indications and may enhance future licensing and partnering discussions around ART27.13.”

In Phase 1 single dose studies in healthy volunteers and a multiple ascending dose study in individuals with chronic low back pain conducted by the previous sponsor, AstraZeneca, ART27.13 exhibited an attractive pharmacokinetic and absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion profile and was well tolerated within the target exposure range. It also exhibited dose-dependent and potentially clinically meaningful increases in body weight. Artelo is now advancing the ART27.13 program with the Cancer Appetite Recovery Study (CAReS), a Phase 1b/2a study in patients with cancer related anorexia.

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