HAYWARD, Calif., Jan. 5 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Kosan Biosciences Incorporated today announced that it has named Albert L. Kraus, Ph.D., Vice President, Regulatory Affairs. Dr. Kraus reports to Robert G. Johnson, Jr., M.D., Ph.D., Kosan Executive Vice President, Development, and Chief Medical Officer.
“Dr. Kraus brings extensive regulatory knowledge and experience, both in the United States and internationally, with a strong focus on oncology. His track record of leading strategies for Phase III clinical programs, commercialization, and post-launch clinical studies will be of particular value to Kosan as we move our programs into later-stage clinical development,” said Dr. Johnson. “We expect that he will play a key role in our efforts to commercialize our product candidates.”
Dr. Kraus has 20 years of pharmaceutical industry management experience in the areas of regulatory, human safety and toxicology. Most recently, he was Group Director, Global Regulatory Strategy, Oncology with Bristol-Myers Squibb. In his nine-year tenure with that company, he also served as Director, Regulatory Science Europe, Oncology and Dermatology, and Associate Director, Worldwide Regulatory Affairs. Previously, he held the position of Section Head, Toxicology, Human Safety and Regulatory Services for Procter & Gamble for five years. He also worked for Richardson Vicks, a Procter & Gamble company, for three years as a Group Leader and Section Head of Pharmacology, Toxicology and Human Safety. Dr. Kraus holds a Ph.D. in biochemical toxicology from the University of Michigan and a B.A. in biology and economics from Hamilton College.
About Kosan
Kosan Biosciences is advancing two new classes of anticancer agents through clinical development. Kosan is developing Hsp90 (heat shock protein 90) inhibitors in collaboration with the National Cancer Institute (NCI), including 17-AAG, a first generation geldanamycin analog. Kosan’s proprietary formulation of 17-AAG, KOS-953, is in Phase I and Phase II clinical trials for multiple myeloma and HER2 metastatic breast cancer. In addition, a second- generation geldanamycin analog, KOS-1022 (DMAG), is currently in Phase I clinical trials, in collaboration with the NCI. Kosan is also developing KOS- 862 (Epothilone D) in Phase II and Phase Ib clinical trials in breast cancer, and a follow-on compound, KOS-1584, is in Phase I clinical trials. This program is partnered with Roche through a global development and commercialization agreement. Kosan has generated a pipeline of additional product candidates for gastrointestinal motility, infectious diseases and cancer based on its proprietary technologies for discovering, developing and manufacturing polyketide analogs. Polyketides are an important class of natural products that have yielded numerous pharmaceuticals for the treatment of cancer, infectious diseases, high cholesterol, transplant rejection and other diseases. For additional information on Kosan Biosciences, please visit the Company’s website at www.kosan.com.
This press release contains “forward-looking” statements, including statements with respect to the future management of Kosan and Kosan’s ability to move its programs into later-stage clinical development and commercialize its product candidates. Any statements contained in this press release that are not statements of historical fact may be deemed to be forward-looking statements. There are a number of important factors that could cause the results of Kosan to differ materially from those indicated by these forward- looking statements, including, among others, risks related to the clinical advancement of Kosan’s product candidates, risks related to the possible determination that an earlier-stage compound, such as KOS-1584, will be more appropriate for commercial development than a later-stage compound, such as KOS-862, risks related to Kosan’s ability to retain its current employees and recruit qualified management personnel and other risks detailed from time to time in the Company’s SEC reports, including its Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended September 30, 2005 and other periodic filings with the SEC. Kosan does not undertake any obligation to update forward-looking statements.
Kosan Biosciences Incorporated
CONTACT: Daniel V. Santi, M.D., Ph.D., Chairman and CEO of KosanBiosciences, +1-510-732-8400, ext. 5204, or santi@kosan.com
Web site: http://www.kosan.com/
