NEWTON, Mass., Dec. 15, 2014 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Karyopharm Therapeutics Inc. (Nasdaq:KPTI), a clinical-stage pharmaceutical company, today announced today that it has been selected for addition to the NASDAQ Biotechnology Index (Nasdaq:NBI). The addition to the NASDAQ Biotechnology Index will become effective upon market open on Monday, December 22, 2014.
The NASDAQ Biotechnology Index is designed to track the performance of a set of NASDAQ-listed securities that are classified as either biotechnology or pharmaceutical according to the Industry Classification Benchmark. The NASDAQ Biotechnology Index is re-ranked annually. The NASDAQ Biotechnology Index is the basis for the iShares NASDAQ Biotechnology Index Fund (Nasdaq:IBB), which seeks investment results that correspond generally to the price and yield performance, before fees and expenses, of the NASDAQ Biotechnology Index. In addition, options based on the iShares NASDAQ Biotechnology Index Fund trade on various exchanges. For more information about the NASDAQ Biotechnology Index visit www.nasdaq.com.
About Karyopharm Therapeutics
Karyopharm Therapeutics Inc. (Nasdaq:KPTI) is a clinical-stage pharmaceutical company focused on the discovery and development of novel first-in-class drugs directed against nuclear transport targets for the treatment of cancer and other major diseases. Karyopharm's Selective Inhibitors of Nuclear Export / SINE™ compounds function by binding with and inhibiting the nuclear export protein XPO1 (or CRM1). The inhibition of XPO1 by Karyopharm's lead drug candidate, Selinexor (KPT-330), a first-in-class, oral SINE™ compound, leads to the accumulation of tumor suppressor proteins in the cell nucleus, which subsequently reinitiates and amplifies their tumor suppressor function. This is believed to lead to the selective induction of apoptosis in cancer cells, while largely sparing normal cells. Over 550 patients have been treated with Selinexor in Phase 1 and Phase 2 clinical trials in advanced hematologic malignancies and solid tumors. Karyopharm has initiated three registration-directed clinical trials of Selinexor, one in older patients with acute myeloid leukemia, one in patients with Richter's Transformation and one in patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL). At least one additional registration-directed clinical trial in a hematologic or solid tumor indication is also planned for the first half of 2015. Additional Phase 1 and Phase 2 studies are ongoing or currently planned, including multiple investigator-sponsored studies of Selinexor in combination with one or more approved therapies. SINE™ compounds have shown biological activity in models of cancer, inflammation, autoimmune disease, certain viruses, and wound-healing. Karyopharm was founded by Dr. Sharon Shacham and is located in Newton, Massachusetts. For more information about Karyopharm, please visit www.karyopharm.com.
CONTACT: Justin Renz
(617) 658-0574
jrenz@karyopharm.com
Gina Nugent
(617) 460-3579
nugentcomm@aol.com