Peer-reviewed publication shows that Lateral pharma's SCP drugs for neuropathic pain act via the novel target LanCL1
- Written by: Daily Bulletin
MELBOURNE, Australia, June 11, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Lateral Pharma today announced the publication of peer-reviewed research in PAIN, a leading journal dedicated to pain research, identifying Lanthionine Synthetase C-Like Protein 1 (LanCL1) as
a novel therapeutic target for neuropathic pain. The LanCL family of proteins are responsive to Lateral Pharma's Stressed Cell Protectant (SCP) drugs.
The publication, titled "Lanthionine synthetase C-like protein 1 (LanCL1): a therapeutic target for neuropathic pain," shows that LAT8881, Lateral Pharma's first-generation SCP peptide and several other SCP peptides, act via LanCL1 and offers new insights into the biology underlying neuropathic pain.
Painful Neuropathy caused by diabetes, injury, chemotherapy and some viral infections affects hundreds of millions of people worldwide. Existing therapies provide no benefit in at least half of the patients and have dose-limiting side effects or tolerability concerns, highlighting the need for new approaches.
"This publication marks a pivotal milestone in advancing the biology of neuropathic pain and in accelerating Lateral Pharma's mission. Chronic neuropathic pain is a distressing and debilitating condition that affects around 10% of the population. By identifying LanCL1 as a novel therapeutic target and demonstrating drug activity through this pathway, the research delivers compelling scientific validation for Lateral Pharma's Stressed Cell Protectant platform and its potential to address major unmet medical needs." said David Kenley, Chief Executive Officer of Lateral Pharma.
The publication is consistent with Lateral Pharma's Phase 1b study in patients with chronic lumbar radicular pain (sciatica) that showed a single intravenous dose of LAT8881 was safe and well tolerated while demonstrating clinically meaningful reductions in provoked pain.
The findings also complement recently published research in Mucosal Immunology demonstrating that LAT9997, Lateral Pharma's lead SCP peptide, significantly improved survival and reduced lung injury in preclinical models of influenza-associated bacterial pneumonia. In that study, two intranasal doses of LAT9997 administered during the early stages of influenza infection improved survival from 0% in control animals to 85% in treated animals, highlighting the broader therapeutic potential of LanCL-targeted therapies beyond neuropathic pain.
The growing body of evidence supporting SCP therapeutics is further reinforced by Lateral Pharma's intellectual property portfolio, including a United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) granted composition-of-matter patent covering LAT9997 for the treatment of neuropathic pain.
About Lateral Pharma
Lateral Pharma is an Australian biotechnology company developing a new class of therapeutics based on the activation of LanCL pathways involved in cellular protection, repair and recovery. The Company is focused on addressing significant unmet medical needs supported by positive data in models of neuropathic pain, neurodegeneration, infectious respiratory disease and healthy longevity.
The publication was authored by researchers from Monash University, the University of Warwick, the University of Bristol, Pacific Discovery Services, Evotec and Lateral Pharma, and is now available online through PAIN.
Publication
Spanswick DC et al. Lanthionine synthetase C-like protein 1 (LanCL1): a therapeutic target for neuropathic pain. PAIN. 2026.
Related Publication
West AC et al. Short-course intranasal LAT9997 therapy limits post-influenza bacterial pneumonia by recalibrating lung immunity. Mucosal Immunology. 2026.
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