HAYWARD, Calif., Nov. 1 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Kosan Biosciences announced today that Robert G. Johnson, Jr., M.D., Ph.D., Kosan’s President and Chief Executive Officer, will present at the CIBC World Markets 18th Annual Healthcare Conference in New York at the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel on Monday, November 5, 2007 at 2:30 p.m. Eastern Time. A live webcast of the presentation can be accessed through http://www.veracast.com/webcasts/cibcwm/healthcare07/09111172.cfm.
In addition, Dr. Johnson will present at the Rodman & Renshaw 9th Annual Healthcare Conference in New York at the Palace Hotel on Tuesday, November 6, 2007 at 3:00 p.m. Eastern Time. A live webcast of the presentation can be accessed through http://www.wsw.com/webcast/rrshq12/kosn.
Interested parties may also access a live webcast of the presentation by visiting the “Events Calendar” page under the “Investors/Press” tab on Kosan’s website at http://www.kosan.com. A recorded replay of the presentations will be available for two weeks.
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 being tested in combination with bortezomib (Velcade(R)) in patients with multiple myeloma in a registration program called TIME. Tanespimycin is also being studied in HER2-positive metastatic breast cancer in combination with trastuzumab (Herceptin(R)), and as monotherapy in metastatic melanoma. Intravenous and oral formulations of Kosan’s second-generation Hsp90 inhibitor, alvespimycin (KOS-1022), are being evaluated in Phase 1 clinical trials in hematological cancers and in HER2-positive metastatic breast cancer.
Epothilones inhibit cell division with a mechanism of action similar to taxanes, one of the most successful classes of anti-tumor agents. KOS-1584 is in Phase 1 clinical trials in patients with solid tumors.
Kosan’s motilin agonist compound, KOS-2187, licensed to Pfizer, is in a Phase 1 safety trial, with plans to pursue development in gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD).
For additional information on Kosan Biosciences, please visit the company’s website at http://www.kosan.com.
CONTACT: Jane M. Green, VP, Corporate Communications of Kosan Biosciences,
office, +1-510-731-5335, mobile, +1-415-652-4819, green@kosan.com
Web site: http://www.kosan.com/
