Potential Therapeutic Agent for Laminitis in Equines

Small molecule drug compound demonstrated to resolve laminitis, and treat inflammation, inflammatory pain, and neuropathic pain in equines.

Laminitis is a complex disease in horses which is 60% fatal.  It starts with inflammation and evolves into a complex disorder involving inflammatory and neuropathic pain, tissue destruction and morbid hypertension.  The disorder is similar to severe arthritis in companion animals and man.  Managing the acute inflammation and pain characteristic of the disease is difficult and no ‘gold standard’ of treatment has yet been developed.   The problem is further compounded by the fact that NSAIDs, part of the standard treatment, has been shown to be of questionable benefit with neuropathic pain. Laminitis accounts for an average of 11.6 percent of all lameness problems¹ in the 9.2 million horses found in the United States²; further, 75% of horses with laminitis will often develop chronic challenges³.

Researchers at the University of California, Davis have developed a small molecule drug compound with a novel mechanism of action that appears to prevent, reduce, inhibit, and reverse inflammation, inflammatory pain, and neuropathic pain in non-human animals. The compound has been shown to reduce and reverse laminitis in a horse slated for euthanasia due to its non-responsiveness to conventional treatment and its persistent recumbent position. The compound has low nanomolar potency, high oral availability, and good exposure and pharmacokinetics.

• Low nanomolar potency
• High oral availability
• Good exposure and pharmacokinetics
• Ability to treat neuropathic pain
• None of the unwanted adverse effects that occur with NSAIDs or opioids