HAYWARD, Calif., Feb. 12 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Kosan Biosciences Incorporated announced today that Robert G. Johnson, Jr., Kosan's President and Chief Executive Officer, will present at the BIO CEO & Investor Conference in New York at the Waldorf-Astoria on Tuesday, February 13, 2007 at 1:30 p.m. EST. A live webcast of the presentation can be accessed through http://www.corporate-ir.net/ireye/conflobby.zhtml?ticker=KOSN&item_id=1475499
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 presentation 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. Kosan's proprietary formulation of tanespimycin (KOS-953) is currently in Phase 1 and 2 clinical trials, primarily for multiple myeloma in combination with Velcade(R) (bortezomib) and HER2-positive metastatic breast cancer in combination with Herceptin(R) (trastuzumab). In addition, intravenous and oral formulations of Kosan's second-generation Hsp90 inhibitor, alvespimycin (KOS-1022), are being evaluated in Phase 1 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 2 single-agent clinical trial in patients with HER2-positive metastatic breast cancer, as well as a Phase 2 combination trial with Herceptin. KOS-1584, a second candidate designed to improve pharmacokinetics, is in Phase 1 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.
NOTE: Velcade(R) (bortezomib) is a registered trademark of Millennium Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
Herceptin(R) (trastuzumab) is a registered trademark of Genentech, Inc.
Kosan Biosciences IncorporatedCONTACT: Jane M. Green, VP, Corporate Communications of Kosan BiosciencesIncorporated, +1-510-731-5335, or mobile, +1-415-652-4819, orgreen@kosan.com
Web site: http://www.kosan.com/
