HAYWARD, Calif., Aug. 22 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Kosan Biosciences Incorporated (Nasdaq: KOSN - News) announced the selection of nonproprietary compound names for its two lead Hsp90 inhibitor compounds. KOS-953 is named tanespimycin and KOS-1022 is named alvespimycin hydrochloride. The compound names have been adopted by the United States Adopted Names (USAN) Council and the World Health Organization (WHO).
Tanespimycin is the most advanced Hsp90 inhibitor in clinical trials. The compound is in a Phase Ib trial in combination with Velcade® for multiple myeloma, and is in a Phase I trial as a single agent in multiple myeloma. Tanespimycin is also being evaluated in a Phase II combination trial with Herceptin® for breast cancer, and in a Phase II single-agent trial in melanoma. Kosan’s potential registration strategy for tanespimycin is for treatment of multiple myeloma in combination with Velcade in first relapsed patients. In the Phase Ib trial of tanespimycin plus Velcade, some patients who previously failed on Velcade have responded to treatment with the combination, providing another potential treatment option for refractory patients. Kosan could potentially initiate a Phase II/III registrational development program for tanespimycin in the late 2006-early 2007 timeframe. Tanespimycin has been granted orphan drug status in multiple myeloma in the US and in Europe.
Alvespimycin hydrochloride, Kosan’s second-generation Hsp90 inhibitor, has shown enhanced potency and ease of formulation with potentially more favorable dosing for solid tumors. Intravenous and oral formulations of alvespimycin are being evaluated in Phase I trials and intravenous alvespimycin is also being evaluated in a Phase I/II trial in combination with Herceptin. The company also anticipates evaluating alvespimycin in combination with Herceptin plus a taxane in metastatic breast cancer.
“Kosan has built an industry-leading position in Hsp90 inhibitors,” said Robert G. Johnson, Jr., M.D., Ph.D., Kosan’s Chief Executive Officer. “Our first and second generation compounds are demonstrating potent antitumor activity in multiple tumor types. We believe that tanespimycin and alvespimycin represent important new approaches to treating cancer due to their novel mechanism of action and potential to overcome resistance by synergizing the initial activity of existing cancer therapies. We intend to continue to exploit the potential of these promising compounds with the goal of bringing novel treatments to cancer patients.”
The USAN Council (tri-sponsored by the American Medical Association (AMA), the United States Pharmacopeia Convention (USP), and the American Pharmacists Association (APhA), aims for global standardization and unification of drug nomenclature and related rules to ensure that drug information is communicated accurately and unambiguously, working closely with the International Nonproprietary Name (INN) program of the World Health Organization, and various national nomenclature groups.
About Hsp90 Inhibitors
Hsp90 (heat shock protein 90) is a protein chaperone that binds to several sets of signaling proteins, known as “client proteins.” These client proteins include a “who’s who” list of cancer-relevant targets such as mutated p53, Bcr-Abl, Raf-1, ErbB2 and other kinases, as well as steroid hormone receptors. Disruption of the Hsp90-client protein complexes leads to proteosome-mediated degradation of client proteins. Certain polyketide analogs such as Kosan’s lead products in this program, tanespimycin and alvespimycin, bind to Hsp90 and cause its dissociation from, and consequent degradation of, the client proteins, leading to cancer cell death. Because the Hsp90 client proteins are so important in signal transduction and in transcription (processes critical to the growth and survival of cancer cells), tanespimycin and alvespimycin may serve as valuable chemotherapeutic agents in a number of cancers. Moreover, preclinical studies suggest that these compounds are synergistic with certain other inhibitors of the signal transduction client proteins, as well as several conventional anticancer agents.
About Kosan
Kosan Biosciences is a biotechnology company advancing two new classes of anticancer agents through clinical development -- Hsp90 (heat shock protein 90) inhibitors and epothilones. Kosan is leveraging its proprietary discovery platform to generate a pipeline of potentially significant product candidates, primarily in the area of oncology.
Hsp90 inhibitors have a novel mechanism of action targeting multiple pathways involved in cancer cell growth and survival. Tanespimycin (KOS-953) is currently in Phase I and II clinical trials, primarily for multiple myeloma and HER2-positive breast cancer. In addition, intravenous and oral formulations of Kosan’s second-generation Hsp90 inhibitor, alvespimycin (KOS-1022), are being evaluated in Phase I clinical trials.
Epothilones inhibit cell division with a mechanism of action similar to taxanes, one of the most successful classes of anti-tumor agents. KOS-862 is currently being studied in a Phase II single-agent clinical trial in patients with metastatic breast cancer, as well as a Phase II combination trial with Herceptin. KOS-1584, a second candidate designed to improve pharmacokinetics, is in Phase I clinical trials in patients with solid tumors. Kosan’s epothilone program is partnered with Roche through a global development and commercialization agreement.
For additional information on Kosan Biosciences, please visit the company’s website at www.kosan.com .
This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the “safe harbor” provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 (the “Act”). Such forward-looking statements include statements relating to the further development and potential safety and efficacy of Kosan’s product candidates such as Kosan’s potential registration strategies and its plans for future clinical trials. 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 clinical candidates, including the risk that clinical trials may not demonstrate safety and efficacy sufficient to obtain the requisite regulatory approvals or to result in a marketable product; 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 June 30, 2006 and other periodic filings with the SEC. Kosan does not undertake any obligation to update forward-looking statements.
Source: Kosan Biosciences Incorporated
