Improving stiff joints with sustained-release relaxin
Official title: Late Stage Development of Sustained-release Relaxin for Treating Joint Contracture
Funded at Ortholevo, INC. · NIH-11162423 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project is exploring a new long-lasting medication to help people with stiff and painful shoulders.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Ortholevo, INC. NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Lynnfield, UNITED STATES) |
| Project start | August 6, 2024 |
| Project end | July 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $504,601 |
| NIH project number | 5SB1AR084380-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11162423 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates would be individuals experiencing shoulder contracture or "frozen shoulder" due to various causes, including trauma, surgery, or unknown reasons.
✕Less likely to help
Patients whose joint stiffness is not caused by fibrotic tissue accumulation, or those with other underlying conditions not addressed by relaxin, may not receive benefit.
What this research studies
Shoulder contracture, also known as "frozen shoulder," causes significant pain and limits arm movement due to the buildup of scar tissue. Current treatments often provide only temporary relief or involve surgery with potential complications. This project is developing a new injectable medication that slowly releases relaxin-2, a natural hormone, directly into the shoulder joint. Relaxin-2 works by helping to break down existing scar tissue and prevent new scar tissue from forming, aiming to restore motion and reduce pain more effectively.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this new treatment could offer a long-lasting way to reduce pain and improve movement for people with stiff shoulders, potentially avoiding surgery.
How similar studies have gone: This approach uses a naturally occurring hormone in a novel sustained-release formulation, representing a new direction for treating joint contracture.
Where this research is happening
-
Ortholevo, INC.
Lynnfield, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Cooper, Benjamin Goldman — Ortholevo, INC.
- Study coordinator: Cooper, Benjamin Goldman
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Sustained-relief for shoulder stiffness using injectable relaxin therapy
A new injectable therapy uses a slow-release Relaxin-2 formulation to reduce scar tissue and improve shoulder motion for people with arthrofibrosis.
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Developing a new treatment for painful shoulder stiffness
This study is testing a new injectable treatment using a hormone called relaxin-2 to help people with shoulder contracture, a condition that causes painful stiffness and limits movement, with the hope of improving their shoulder mobility and overall quality of life.
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Using relaxin to treat frozen shoulder
This study is testing a new injection treatment for frozen shoulder that uses a natural hormone to help ease pain and stiffness, aiming to improve your shoulder movement and overall quality of life.
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.