DARA BioSciences to Present Results of a Clinical Study for KRN5500 at the "Annual Targeting Pain with Novel Therapeutics" Meeting Sponsored by Cambridge Healthtech Institute

KRN5500 Demonstrates Significant Improvement in Pain Relief in Patients With Neuropathic Pain and Cancer


RALEIGH, N.C., Feb. 22, 2010 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Today DARA BioSciences, Inc. (Nasdaq:DARA) announced that the results of its Phase 2 study has been identified by Cambridge Healthtech Institute ("CHI") for inclusion in its Annual "Targeting Pain with Novel Therapeutics" Conference.

Linda Jett, MSN, Clinical Director, Drug Development, DARA BioSciences will present a talk entitled "KRN5500 Demonstrates Significant Reduction in Neuropathic Pain in Patients with Cancer" as part of the Drug Discovery Innovation Summit.

The presentation will provide an overview of the favorable clinical results of this Phase 2 study in reaching its primary endpoint and statistical significance for KRN5500 compared to placebo. The study was a blinded, randomized, placebo controlled, dose escalation study in patients with advanced cancer.

During November 2009, DARA announced that an abstract on KRN5500 results had been accepted for presentation at the "12th International Conference on the Mechanisms and Treatment of Neuropathic Pain" Meeting held in San Francisco.

About KRN5500 and Neuropathic Pain

KRN5500 is a novel non-opioid analgesic agent, a semi-synthetic derivative of spicamycin:  (6-[4-Deoxy-4-[(2E,4E)-tetradecadienoylglycyl]amino-L-glycero-ß-L-manno-heptopyranosyl]amino-9H-purine). 

Chronic neuropathic pain results from nerve damage, is characterized by an abnormal hypersensitivity to innocuous as well as noxious stimuli, and often persists after initial tissue damage and inflammation have healed. Prevalence of neuropathic pain in patients that have been treated for cancer is reported to be as high as 40%. Neuropathic pain in this population has multiple etiologies, including tumor compression and side effects of treatments, e.g., surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy. Chemotherapy Induced Peripheral Neuropathy is the most common cause of neuropathic pain in this population, and in particular, for those patients receiving multiagent chemotherapy. Clinically, neuropathic pain is difficult to manage, fails to respond to standard analgesic treatments, and can worsen over time. Currently approved therapeutic agents often have intolerable side effects and limited efficacy. Thus, there is an unmet need to develop safe and effective drugs to treat neuropathic pain.

About DARA BioSciences, Inc.

DARA BioSciences, Inc. is a Raleigh, North Carolina based development-stage biopharmaceutical company that acquires promising therapeutic small molecules and develops them through proof of concept in humans for subsequent sale or out-licensing to larger pharmaceutical companies. Presently DARA has two drug candidates with cleared IND's (Investigational New Drug) Applications from the US FDA. One of these drug candidates KRN5500 has successfully completed a Phase 2a clinical trial treating cancer patients for neuropathic pain. It has a portfolio of drug candidates for neuropathic pain, type 2 diabetes, and psoriasis. For more information please contact the Company at 919-872-5578 or visit our web site at http://www.darabio.com.



            

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