The Swiss company's primary therapeutic drug candidate, KIN001, consists of an advanced clinical stage p38 MAPK inhibitor, in-licensed from Roche, combined with a marketed drug, together enabling an oral, long-term effective treatment for patients suffering from diseases with serious impact on quality of life.

In September 2022, the independent Data and Safety Monitoring Board recommended the discontinuation of Kinarus’ Phase II KINETIC study using the oral drug combination KIN001 in hospitalized COVID-19 patients after conducting a review.

There was found to be a low probability of the trial showing statistically-significant benefit with a reasonable number of hospitalized COVID-19 patients, in light of the lower than anticipated incidence of the primary endpoint due to evolution of the current treatment landscape.

KIN001 was at least shown to be safe and well tolerated, and enrolment in the Phase II KINFAST study in ambulatory COVID-19 patients continues.KIN001 was at least shown to be safe and well tolerated, and enrolment in the Phase II KINFAST study in ambulatory COVID-19 patients continues.

Kinarus has also stressed that the data have no impact on plans to develop KIN001 for wet age-related macular degeneration, idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis or other indications.