KAI initiates neuralgia pain trial

KAI Pharmaceuticals, a privately-held US drug discovery and development company, has begun enrollment in a second Phase IIa study of KAI-1678,  an isozyme-selective small peptide inhibitor of the epsilon protein  kinase C pathway for the treatment of chronic neuropathic pain  associated with chronic postherpetic neuralgia.

The double-blind, randomized, placebo- and active-comparator controlled,  single-dose, crossover trial designed to evaluate the efficacy of  KAI-1678 administered by subcutaneous infusion. The primary endpoint of  the study is the mean change from baseline in pain intensity scores at  the end of drug infusion.

Chief medical officer Gregory Bell said: "our expanded Phase II program  allows us to study KAI-1678, a promising non-opioid in multiple  indications in both acute and chronic pain. KAI is the first company to  develop a selective inhibitor of epsilon PKC. We believe there is great  potential for this novel approach, which may avoid the side effects and  limited efficacy of currently available treatments."