KemPharm, Inc.'s KP201 Featured at the International Conference on Opioids

NORTH LIBERTY, Iowa, June 4, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- KemPharm, Inc., a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company focused on the discovery and development of new, safer therapies to treat pain, announced today that that its Vice President of Research, Sven Guenther, Ph.D., will present a poster on the Company’s novel pain drug candidate, KP201, at the International Conference on Opioids (ICOO) in Boston, MA.

Dr. Guenther’s poster presentation, “KP201: A Novel Opioid Pain Therapy with Reduced Abuse Potential and Improved Safety,” will be displayed on June 9, 2013between 8:00 AM and 6:00 PM, EDT and will detail KP201’s unique abuse-deterrent properties, which have been shown to significantly limit narcotic exposure upon intranasal administration and intravenous injection. Additionally, the poster will highlight the potential for KP201 to prevent or reduce opioid-induced constipation (OIC).

KP201 is KemPharm’s lead clinical candidate in development for the treatment of acute moderate to moderately severe pain. KemPharm anticipates submitting a new drug application (NDA) for KP201 to the FDA in the second quarter of 2014.

Dr. Guenther commented, “Having KP201 featured at the International Conference on Opioids is a testament to the potential value that our technology offers as a first-in-class opioid-based drug that imparts the benefits of reducing abuse potential and opioid-induced constipation. We are honored to present what we believe is very compelling data on KP201 at such a prestigious industry event and look forward to the completion of several pivotal clinical studies this summer.”

Travis C. Mickle, Ph.D., president and CEO of KemPharm, remarked, “As the recent articlein The Wall Street Journalreported, there is a growing demand within the pharmaceutical industry, regulatory agencies and across the country for better opioid-based medications. We believe that KP201 is at the forefront of this advancement. Not only does the compound possess a unique abuse-deterrent chemical structure which ensures that the drug becomes active only when exposed to enzymes in the digestive system, but our data also indicate that the modified pharmacology may reduce constipation, a major side-effect of opioid-based drugs.”

About KemPharm
KemPharm is a biopharmaceutical company focused on the discovery and development of new chemical entities (NCEs) to treat serious medical conditions through its proprietary and broadly applicable Ligand Activated Therapy (LAT) approach. The company utilizes its LAT technology to generate improved prodrug versions of FDA approved drugs in the high needs areas of pain, ADHD and other CNS diseases. KemPharm’s lead clinical candidate, KP201, is in development for the treatment of acute moderate to moderately severe pain with a new drug application (NDA) expected to be filed in the second quarter of 2014. Composed of hydrocodone chemically bound to a ligand, KP201 offers unique physicochemical and pharmacological attributes that may deliver additional patient benefits, including reduced potential for abuse and reduction or elimination of opioid-induced constipation (OIC). KemPharm’s pipeline is also highlighted by KP511, its hydromorphone prodrug for pain, and KP415, a prodrug of methylphenidate for the treatment of ADHD. For more information on KemPharm, please visit the company’s website at www.kempharm.com

SOURCE KemPharm, Inc.