For Immediate Release
April 15, 2008

BUFFALO, NY – A novel compound, KXO1 (KX2-391), is a potential new cancer drug to prevent or treat recurrent and metastatic cancer, according to a study presented by Irwin H. Gelman, PhD, Department of Cancer Genetics, Roswell Park Cancer Institute (RPCI), at the 2008 annual meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR), April 12-16, in San Diego, CA.

“KXO1 (KX2-391), a Src-family kinase inhibitor targeting the peptide-binding domain, suppresses oncogenic proliferation in vitro and in vivo” Abstract # 4983
Embargoed until Tuesday, April 15 – 4:40 pm PST
Room 33A-C, San Diego Convention Center

Cancer recurrence and metastasis are the greatest contributors to patient death. Recent studies have identified Src-family kinases (SFK) as enzymes particularly activated in recurrent and metastatic cancer, thus making them attractive therapeutic targets. KXO1 (KX2-391) was designed by Kinex Pharmaceuticals, LLC, and researchers at RPCI to target these enzymes.

Dr. Gelman will report on the results of studies demonstrating that KXO1 can inhibit the growth of many cancer cell types in culture and the growth of human colon cancer cells in animal models. In the latter case, human colon cancer cells, known to have high levels of SFK, can be inhibited by at least 70% by a one-month regimen of daily oral KXO1 treatments, compared with animal models receiving a placebo.

 “The evidence indicates that this novel compound can inhibit pathways that support cancer cell growth and induce pathways which cause programmed cell death,” said Dr. Gelman. “Therefore, we believe KXO1 is a potential new drug candidate to prevent or treat cancers in which SFK enzymes play critical roles in cancer.” 

KXO1 is currently undergoing phase I clinical trials at MD Anderson Cancer Center and Roswell Park Cancer Institute.

Roswell Park Cancer Institute, founded in 1898, is the nation’s first cancer research, treatment and education center and is the only National Cancer Institute-designated comprehensive cancer center in Upstate New York. RPCI is a member of the prestigious National Comprehensive Cancer Network, an alliance of the nation’s leading cancer centers. Roswell Park has affiliate sites and collaborative programs in New York, Pennsylvania, and in China. For more information, visit RPCI’s website at www.roswellpark.org, call 1-877-ASK-RPCI (1-877-275-7724) or e-mail askrpci@roswellpark.org.

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