ATB-346: Acute and Chronic Joint Pain
ATB-346 addresses the widely-acknowledged need for more effective pain relief for suffers of osteoarthritis, the most common form of arthritis. A degenerative disease, it affects the cartilage that caps the ends of the bones. As bone begins to rub against bone, osteoarthritis causes pain and loss of movement. Most commonly, osteoarthritis affects joints in the fingers, knees and spine.
Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are the most commonly used medications, and the worldwide market for osteoarthritis pain relief is estimated at US$6 billion. However, NSAIDs are associated with a significant risk of serious gastrointestinal bleeding as well as cardiovascular effects (e.g., heart attacks, strokes). ATB-346, in pre-clinical studies, is showing increased effectiveness over its parent drug, and a significant reduction in the occurrence of undesired gastrointestinal and cardiovascular effects. The drug is in pre-clinical effectiveness trials and toxicology studies.