Kadmon Corporation Announces Publication Highlighting Importance Of ROCK2 In Autoimmunity

NEW YORK, NY--(Marketwired - February 09, 2015) - Kadmon Corporation, LLC, today announced the publication of a review in the journal Cytokine highlighting the importance of ROCK2 (Rho-associated coiled-coiled kinase 2) in regulating immune response. The review summarizes research conducted by Kadmon and others on the ROCK2 signaling pathway and supports ROCK2 as a novel therapeutic target in autoimmunity.

“ROCK2 inhibition is an area of research with tremendous therapeutic potential, and one in which Kadmon is a world leader,” said Alexandra Zanin-Zhorov, Ph.D., Senior Director of Immunology at Kadmon. The company is developing KD025, the only selective ROCK2-specific inhibitor in clinical trials, as well as a portfolio of other ROCK2-specific compounds. A Phase 2 study of KD025 in psoriasis is currently underway, and trials of KD025 in other autoimmune disease indications are planned for later this year.

“This review summarizes recent progress in understanding the importance of the role of ROCK2, and provides a clear rationale for our development of KD025 to potentially treat a wide range of autoimmune and fibrotic diseases,” Dr. Zanin-Zhorov added.

The article, titled “ROCKing cytokine secretion balance in human T cells,” will be published in an upcoming issue of Cytokine and is currently available online here: www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1043466614006589.

About KD025

KD025 is Kadmon’s orally bioavailable, potent and highly selective inhibitor of ROCK2 (Rho-associated coiled-coiled kinase 2), a signaling pathway involved in regulating immune response. Preclinical studies have shown that ROCK2 inhibition with KD025 down-regulates the secretion of IL-21 and IL-17, two pro-inflammatory cytokines involved in the pathology of many autoimmune diseases, and concurrently up-regulates the suppressive function of regulatory T cells (Treg), helping to resolve inflammation, with a minimal effect on the rest of the immune response. Kadmon initiated a Phase 2 trial of KD025 in psoriasis in January 2015.

About Kadmon Corporation
Kadmon Corporation, LLC, is a vertically integrated biopharmaceutical company focused on developing innovative products for significant unmet medical needs. We have a diversified product pipeline in oncology, autoimmune and fibrotic diseases, monogenic diseases and metabolic disease. For more information, visit www.kadmon.com.

This press release contains forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are based on management’s expectations and are subject to certain factors, risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results, outcome of events, timing and performance to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such statements. The information contained in this press release is believed to be current as of the date of original issue. Kadmon expressly disclaims any obligation or undertaking to release publicly any updates or revisions to any forward-looking statements contained herein to reflect any change in our expectations with regard thereto or any change in events, conditions or circumstances on which any such statements are based.