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Kosan
receives NCI grant for Epothilone
Hayward
- Calif
KOSAN
Biosciences Incorporated said it was awarded a phase I Small Business
Innovative Research grant from the National Cancer Institute. The
grant was awarded to Kosan to generate epothilone analogs by genetic
engineering.
Epothilones have great promise as anti-cancer agents because they
inhibit cancer cells by the same mechanism as paclitaxel and also
are effective against most paclitaxel-resistant tumours. Paclitaxel-based
drugs, including the leading anticancer agent Taxol, have annual
sales of almost $2 billion. Kosan is planning to initiate a human
clinical trial of Epothilone D this year.
Although the epothilones have significant potential as anticancer
agents, their utility would be enhanced if their solubility in water
could be increased. The analogs proposed in the grant are designed
to have increased solubility and to improve the administration of
the potential drug to patients. The principal investigator for the
grant is Leonard Katz, Ph D, vice-president of Biological Sciences
at Kosan.
‘‘We
are optimistic that Epothilone D will prove to be a safe and effective
drug after the extensive human trials required. Nevertheless, we
hope to ensure Kosan’s long-term competitiveness by developing
a series of second generation product candidates,’’ said
Daniel Santi, MD, Ph D, CEO and Chairman of Kosan.
Kosan Biosciences Incorporated is a biotechnology company that has
proprietary gene-engineering technologies for the manipulation and
production of polyketides.
PRNewswire
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