KAI Pharmaceuticals Inc.
This article was originally published in Start Up
Executive Summary
KAI Pharmaceuticals is the result of one researcher's accumulated wealth of knowledge about the protein kinase C (PKC) family, which plays is involved in such activities as regulation of gene expression, response to ischemic insult, and regulation of hormone responses and ion channels. KAI is investigating the role of PKC in heart function, acute ischemic stroke, heart failure, pain, diabetes and other indications. The company's first drug, a delta PKC inhibitor (KAI-9803), is designed to limit injury during reperfusion by protecting vulnerable tissue, with an initial indication for post-myocardial infarction. It is just entering Phase I/IIa clinical trials. A second indication for limiting reperfusion injury in stroke is in active preclinical stages.