Artelo Biosciences, Inc. (Nasdaq: ARTL), a clinical-stage pharmaceutical company focused on modulating lipid-signaling pathways to develop treatments for people living with cancer, pain, dermatologic, or neurological conditions, today announced it has entered into a Definitive Investigator-Initiated Study Agreement with the Belfast Health and Social Care Trust (BHSCT). The study will evaluate the effects of Artelo's peripherally selective synthetic cannabinoid, ART27.13, in patients with glaucoma or ocular hypertension. Funding for the study is being provided by Glaucoma UK and the HSC R&D Division, two respected organizations supporting innovative health and social care research to improve patient outcomes.

Glaucoma is a leading cause of irreversible blindness, affecting more than 80 million people worldwide. Elevated intraocular pressure (IOP) is the primary modifiable risk factor for glaucoma progression, but existing therapies—mostly topical eye drops—often face limitations related to adherence, local tolerability, and long-term efficacy.

ART27.13, Artelo's peripherally selective synthetic cannabinoid receptor agonist, represents a novel therapeutic approach aimed at modulating IOP through activation of cannabinoid receptors located in peripheral tissues (including ocular tissues). Preclinical research suggests that peripheral cannabinoid receptor activity may positively influence aqueous humor dynamics and ocular blood outflow—two key mechanisms involved in intraocular pressure regulation.