KineMed Receives an Investigator-Initiated Study Grant to Further Explore Mechanism(s) of Action Associated with Welchol® (colesevelam HCl) in Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus

EMERYVILLE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--KineMed, Inc., a translational and personalized medicine development company, announced today that the company has received an investigator initiated study grant from Daiichi Sankyo, Inc. to conduct a clinical study designed to better understand and characterize the beneficial effects of Welchol^® (colesevelam HCl) in patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM).

“We are very pleased that Daiichi Sankyo, Inc. has provided an investigator initiated study grant to further evaluate the mechanisms of action of the glucose lowering effects of Welchol”

KineMed, Inc announced that it will expand its previous clinical work on delineating the benefits of Welchol in T2DM. In previous clinical studies using KineMed's proprietary, stable-isotope-based translational medicine approaches, KineMed, Inc has demonstrated that patients with T2DM have perturbed bile acid metabolism and that Welchol treatment resulted in positive changes in bile acid metabolism¹. Furthermore, these studies, demonstrated that Welchol improved glucose homeostasis in patients with T2DM with sub-optimal glucose control and elevated Hemoglobin A1C values². These data have been presented in international scientific congresses and the most recent data was presented by Carine Beysen, D.Phil, KineMed's Director of clinical metabolic research, at the 45^th Annual Meeting of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD) conference. Dr. Beysen reported that the improved glycemic control with Welchol was accompanied by an effect on incretins, improvement in glucose clearance and whole-body glycolytic disposal of glucose.

“We are very pleased that Daiichi Sankyo, Inc. has provided an investigator initiated study grant to further evaluate the mechanisms of action of the glucose lowering effects of Welchol,” said Robert B. Stein, M.D., Ph.D., KineMed's CEO. “By applying KineMed’s stable isotope technology we hope to build on our previous insights into this fascinating area of research. We are hopeful that the results of these studies will find eventual application to improve the overall health of patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.”

References:

1. Brufau G, et al. Altered bile salt metabolism in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Abstract presented at the ADA 68th Scientific Sessions; San Francisco, CA (June 2008).

2. Beysen C et al. Colesevelam HCl Improves Glucose Metabolism and Increases Glucagon-like Peptide 1 and Glucose-dependent Insulinotropic Polypeptide Concentrations in Type 2 Diabetes. Abstract presented at the 49^th Annual Meeting of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes, Vienna, Austria (September 29 – October 2, 2009).

About KineMed, Inc.

KineMed applies highly innovative techniques to the study of biological processes in living organisms, increasing the effectiveness of pharmaceutical Research & Development and enabling a greater flow of superior medicines. Through our leading-edge Translational Medicine and Personalized Medicine platform, we help many pharmaceutical partners generate new medicines and are generating our own focused pipeline of potential best-in-class medicines. KineMed (www.kinemed.com) uses stable isotopes to delve deeply into key biological processes in animals and man to rapidly generate crucial insights into health, disease, and drug actions.