DARA Therapeutics collaborates to advance clinical study of KRN5500 for CIPN in cancer patients

DARA BioSciences, Inc. (Nasdaq:DARA) announced today that on April 26, 2010, DARA Therapeutics, a subsidiary of DARA BioSciences, and the Division of Cancer Prevention, National Cancer Institute (NCI), National Institutes of Health (NIH), entered into a Clinical Trials Agreement to advance the clinical study of KRN5500 for the treatment of Chemotherapy Induced Peripheral Neuropathy (CIPN) in patients with cancer. Under the terms of the collaboration, NCI will fund the studies and DARA will supply KRN5500 and placebo. NCI will utilize its established national network of investigators (Community Clinical Oncology Program – CCOP) to conduct the study. The plan is to commence the study in the second half of 2010.

KRN5500 is a novel non-opioid analgesic agent, a semi-synthetic derivative of spicamycin:  (6-[4-Deoxy-4-[(2E,4E)-tetradecadienoylglycyl]amino-L-glycero-B-L-manno-heptopyranosyl]amino-9H-purine). Recently, the company reported the successful results of its Phase 2 proof of concept clinical trial for treating neuropathic pain with KRN5500 in patients with cancer. This promising therapeutic agent met its primary endpoint when patients receiving KRN5500 demonstrated a statistically significant>

The NIH, a part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, is the primary Federal agency for conducting and supporting medical research. Helping to lead the way toward important medical discoveries that improve people's health and save lives, NIH scientists investigate ways to prevent disease as well as the causes, treatments, and even cures for common and rare diseases. Composed of 27 Institutes and Centers, including NCI, the NIH provides leadership and financial support to researchers in every state and throughout the world.