KAI Pharmaceuticals Advances Third Product Candidate into Clinical Studies

SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 20, 2008 - KAI Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a privately held biotechnology company, today announced the Company has initiated enrollment in a Phase 1 clinical study of KAI-1678, a first-in-class, isozyme-selective inhibitor of the epsilon protein kinase C pathway. KAI-1678 has been shown to be highly effective at reducing pain responses in a wide variety of preclinical pain models.

"Epsilon PKC has been shown to have an important role in both inflammatory and neuropathic pain. KAI-1678 is the first clinical-stage compound that is a specific inhibitor of epsilon PKC," commented Gregory Bell, Senior Vice President of Development and Chief Medical Officer. "Current therapies for the management of pain, such as opioids and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID), can be limited by side effects and inadequate efficacy. There is a need for novel therapeutics with unique mechanisms of action that provide effective pain relief with reduced side effects."

KAI's randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, rising single-dose study will evaluate the safety, tolerability and pharmacokinetics of KAI-1678 in healthy males. The study will enroll five cohorts and is expected to complete this quarter. The study is being conducted in Australia.

An estimated 50 million people in the United States suffer from some form of persistent pain, while another 25 million suffer acute pain each year as a result of injury or surgery. According to a survey by the American Pain Society, four out of ten people suffering moderate to severe pain were unable to find adequate pain relief.

About KAI Pharmaceuticals

KAI Pharmaceuticals is a privately held, venture-backed drug discovery and development company with clinical-stage programs addressing significant and unmet patient needs in cardiovascular disease, metabolic bone disease and pain. The Company has applied its core expertise in the biology of protein kinase C (PKC) to discover highly potent and selective inhibitors and activators for validated PKC isozymes. KAI is based in South San Francisco, California, and can be found online at www.kaipharma.com.

Contact

KAI Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
Kristine M. Ball, 650-244-1131
Chief Financial Officer
Fax: 650-244-1199
kball@kaipharma.com
or
Media:
Burns McClellan, for KAI Pharmaceuticals
Justin Jackson, 212-213-0006 ext. 327
jjackson@burnsmc.com

Posted: May 2008

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