Research recognized with a Best of Meeting Abstract Award by ASRA Pain Medicine^®

A new experimental drug may offer rapid and sustained relief for knee osteoarthritis pain, according to a study from Stony Brook University in Stony Brook, NY. The project supports the drug’s potential as a non-opioid treatment option for pain.

The American Society of Regional Anesthesia and Pain Medicine (ASRA Pain Medicine®) has recognized the work with a Best of Meeting Abstract Award as part of its 51st Annual Regional Anesthesiology and Acute Pain Medicine Meeting, which will be held April 16-18 in Phoenix, AZ.

In the study, rats with knee osteoarthritis received either the experimental drug, ART26.12, the common pain reliever naproxen, or a placebo. Researchers measured how much weight the animals placed on the affected leg to gauge joint discomfort. ART26.12 improved weight bearing within just one hour, with higher doses providing stronger effects that lasted at least four hours. Over several weeks of ongoing treatment, the improvements continued, showing similar or even better results than naproxen.

The researchers concluded that ART26.12 provided reliable pain relief without losing effectiveness over time. Because the drug works through the endocannabinoid system rather than traditional anti-inflammatory pathways, it may offer an alternative to NSAIDs for long-term management of osteoarthritis pain. Further studies are needed to confirm its safety and effectiveness in humans.

Primary author Adam J. Bruzzese, BA, will present “Fatty Acid Binding Protein 5 Inhibitor ART26.12 Provides Immediate and Lasting Analgesia for Osteoarthritic Pain” on April 17, 2026, at 10:15 am during the session “Acute Pain Management: A Systematic Approach to Systemic Analgesia.” Additional authors on the study are Kai Bou, BS, Kaitlin Farrell, BS, Chris Gordon, BS, Martin Kaczocha, PhD, and David Komatsu, PhD.