KineMed, Inc. And Merck & Co., Inc. Enter Clinical-Stage Collaboration To Evaluate Therapeutic Target Pharmacodynamics

EMERYVILLE, Calif., Nov. 16 /PRNewswire/ -- KineMed, Inc., a pathway-based drug discovery and development company, announced today that it has entered into a collaboration with Merck & Co., Inc. under which KineMed's proprietary translational medicine technology, KineMarker(TM), will be used to directly measure the modulation of the targeted metabolic pathway in Merck's Phase I clinical studies.

The collaboration, which follows a successful feasibility study in humans conducted by Merck using KineMed's technology, is among KineMed's most advanced clinical-stage agreements with large pharmaceutical companies. Financial terms were not disclosed.

KineMed's KineMarker technology is designed to quickly demonstrate, clinically and preclinically, whether compounds are "on mechanism" or are acting specifically on the metabolic pathways that are the basis for particular diseases. KineMed's KineMarker(TM) technology will be used to evaluate the therapeutic utility of compounds that inhibit fatty acid synthesis, or de novo lipogenesis, the process by which the body converts other energy sources, such as carbohydrates and alcohol, into fat. KineMarker measures the kinetics of de novo lipogenesis, using a stable isotope labeling technique and mass isotopomer distribution analysis (MIDA), which allows observation of treatment-induced changes in the rate of patients' lipogenesis.

Dr. John A. Wagner, Executive Director Clinical Research at Merck & Co., stated, "We are pleased with the progress of the program with KineMed and the clinical results to date. The next phase of the partnership is designed to provide pharmacodynamic data that can further evaluate target engagement of our drug candidate."

"We are delighted that Merck has chosen to continue our successful earlier stage study," said David Fineman, President and CEO of KineMed. KineMed's Technologies will test on-mechanism activity and dose response in first-in-man studies of Merck's compound for inhibiting de novo lipogenesis.

"KineMed's technology identifies drug candidates that have therapeutic activities in common diseases, which could play a critical role in many metabolic abnormalities while potentially accelerating clinical trials," he added.

About KineMed, Inc.

KineMed, Inc. ("KineMed" or the "Company") is a drug discovery and development company employing its proprietary translational medicine technology (AquaTag(TM) and KineMarker(TM)) to both identify active drug candidates preclinically and confirm their therapeutic activity and dose response in first-in-man studies. The Company is working to develop drugs both on its own and with pharmaceutical collaborators in therapeutic focus areas where it can demonstrate functional modulation of specific biological pathways that mediate disease.

KineMed's technology expedites the drug development process and provides real-time insight into conditions including metabolic disorders, cancer, and diseases of inflammation and neurodegeneration.

For further information about KineMed, please visit: http://www.kinemed.com/

CONTACT: Brent Vaughan, Chief Business Officer of KineMed, Inc.,+1-510-655-6525, ext. 110; or Media: Justin Jackson of Burns McClellan,+1-212-213-0006, jjackson@burnsmc.com, for KineMed, Inc.

Web site: http://www.kinemed.com/