Kinex Pharmaceuticals to Present at 101st Annual Meeting of AACR

BUFFALO, N.Y., April 14 /PRNewswire/ -- Kinex Pharmaceuticals (Buffalo, NY) is scheduled to make four presentations at the 101st Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) that will take place at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington, DC on April 17-21, 2010. The theme of the meeting, "Conquering Cancer through Discovery Research" is expected to recruit more than 20,000 cancer researchers, health professionals, cancer survivors and advocates and will highlight novel approaches and technologies being used in the laboratory and in the clinic.

Three of the presentations will include data on KX2-391, a novel tubulin polymerization and Src signaling inhibitor that is currently in Phase II clinical trials for prostate cancer. KX2-391 was first characterized as a Src signaling inhibitor that exhibits potent anti-proliferative activity against a broad range of solid and liquid human cancers in vitro and in mouse models, including synergistic activity with other drugs.  Using photo-affinity labeling technology, Kinex has discovered that KX2-391 also binds to tubulin at a novel binding site, and inhibits tubulin polymerization.  Drug treatment leads to cell cycle arrest at M phase with subsequent cell death mediated by canonical apoptosis pathways.  These presentations will provide data on the current understanding of the mechanism of action of KX2-391 and provide efficacy data to support further clinical development.  Authors include Kinex Senior Scientist Yahao Bu, Ph.D. and collaborators Irwin Gelman, Ph.D. (Roswell Park Cancer Institute) and Brian Rowan, Ph.D. (Tulane University).

Pre-clinical data on KX2-361, a novel therapeutic for glioma, will be presented with collaborators from Roswell Park Cancer Institute, Drs. Robert Fenstermaker and Michael Ciesielski.  This compound is a synthetic orally bioavailable small molecule with very high CNS penetration and proven efficacy in a mouse model of glioma.  KX2-361 is well tolerated and approximately 60% of treated mice experience complete cures, as documented by MRI.

"I am pleased that Kinex will be prominently represented at this prestigious conference," said Dr. David Hangauer, Senior Vice President of Research and Development at Kinex Pharmaceuticals. "In just 5 years, Kinex has established itself as an innovative pipeline company with two clinical programs.  AACR is an excellent venue to highlight the innovative work of our scientists and collaborators," he added.

About Kinex Pharmaceuticals

Kinex is a Buffalo, NY based, privately held biopharmaceutical company committed to the discovery and development of novel therapeutics. The Company's platform technologies, Mimetica™ and Opal™, provide unique insight into the design and synthesis of target-based small molecule inhibitors that selectively act on proteins that play key roles in cancer and immuno-inflammatory diseases. KX2-391 is currently being studied in a Phase 2 clinical trial in prostate cancer patients; additional Phase 2 oncology studies will commence later in 2010. KX2-361 is being developed for brain cancer; an IND is expected during the 4th quarter of 2010. In addition, Kinex is developing several other new product candidates that inhibit key immuno-inflammatory pathways.

For more information, visit www.kinexpharma.com

SOURCE Kinex Pharmaceuticals