KP201/IR could be the first single entity (APAP-free), IR hydrocodone product for pain analgesia with
abuse-deterrent properties
CORALVILLE, Iowa, Oct. 25, 2016 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- KemPharm, Inc. (NASDAQ:KMPH), a clinical-stage specialty pharmaceutical
company focused on the discovery and development of proprietary prodrugs, today announced that it has filed an Investigational New
Drug (IND) application with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to begin human clinical trials of KP201/IR, the Company’s
immediate release (IR) abuse-deterrent hydrocodone product candidate with an acetaminophen (APAP)-free formulation.
“The filing of the IND for KP201/IR, combined with our recent announcement to utilize Acura Pharmaceuticals’ FDA-approved
Aversion® Technology with KP201/IR, are key steps in the advancement of our IR abuse-deterrent opioid prodrug pipeline,”
said Travis Mickle, Ph.D., President and Chief Executive Officer of KemPharm. “With this filing, we intend to initiate human
clinical trials of KP201/IR in the first half of 2017 and remain on target for a potential submission in 2018 of the KP201/IR New
Drug Application (NDA).”
Dr. Mickle continued, “Today’s news, along with the recent acceptance of the IND for KP415, our extended release (ER)
d-threo-methylphenidate (d-MPH) product candidate for the treatment of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), means that
our two lead product candidates are meeting the early regulatory milestones we have established for them.”
KP201/IR has the potential to reach the market as the first abuse-deterrent IR hydrocodone product, as well as the first IR
hydrocodone-related product without acetaminophen. KemPharm believes KP201/IR is well-positioned to take advantage of data
generated from the Apadaz™ development program, including data from the KP201.A03 study, which compared hydrocodone exposure
following insufflation of benzhydrocodone HCl (KP201) vs. hydrocodone bitartrate (HB). KemPharm believes that the data
observed in the A03 study, if replicated in a full human abuse potential study, aligns with the FDA Division of Anesthesia,
Analgesia, and Addiction Products (DAAAP) criteria for achieving abuse-deterrent product labeling, and could potentially provide
KP201/IR with a favorable regulatory pathway.
About KemPharm
KemPharm is a clinical-stage specialty pharmaceutical company focused on the discovery and development of
proprietary prodrugs to treat serious medical conditions through its Ligand Activated Therapy (LAT) platform technology.
KemPharm utilizes its LAT platform technology to generate improved prodrug versions of FDA-approved drugs in the high need areas of
pain, ADHD and other Central Nervous System (CNS) disorders.
Caution Concerning Forward Looking Statements
This press release may contain forward-looking statements made in reliance upon the safe harbor provisions of Section 27A of the
Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Forward-looking
statements include all statements that do not relate solely to historical or current facts, and can be identified by the use of
words such as “may,” “will,” “expect,” “project,” “estimate,” “anticipate,” “plan,” “believe,” “potential,” “should,” “continue” or
the negative versions of those words or other comparable words. These forward-looking statements include statements regarding the
expected features and characteristics of KP201/IR and KP415 and the expected development program and timelines of each product
candidate, respectively. These forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future actions or performance. These
forward-looking statements are based on information currently available to KemPharm and its current plans or expectations, and are
subject to a number of uncertainties and risks that could significantly affect current plans. Actual results and performance could
differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements as a result of many factors, including, without
limitation, the risks and uncertainties associated with: KemPharm's financial resources and whether they will be sufficient to meet
KemPharm's business objectives and operational requirements; results of earlier studies and trials may not be predictive of future
clinical trial results; the protection and market exclusivity provided by KemPharm's intellectual property; risks related to the
drug discovery and the regulatory approval process; the impact of competitive products and technological changes; and the FDA
approval process under the Section 505(b)(2) regulatory pathway, including without limitation any timelines for related approval.
KemPharm's forward-looking statements also involve assumptions that, if they prove incorrect, would cause its results to differ
materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. These and other risks concerning KemPharm’s business
are described in additional detail in KemPharm's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2016, and KemPharm’s
other Periodic and Current Reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. KemPharm is under no obligation to (and
expressly disclaims any such obligation to) update or alter its forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information,
future events or otherwise.
