Zafgen Appoints Industry Executive Dennis Kim, M.D., M.B.A., to Chief Medical Officer
CAMBRIDGE, Mass., Sept. 21, 2011 – Zafgen, Inc., a pharmaceutical company pioneering
novel obesity therapeutics to help the body regain and sustain a lean, healthy state by targeting
imbalances in fat metabolism, today announced the appointment of Dennis Kim, M.D., M.B.A.,
to the position of chief medical officer. In this newly created position, Dr. Kim will assume
primary responsibility for Zafgen’s clinical development, including clinical and regulatory
strategy, trial design and oversight of the company’s virtual clinical team.
“An endocrinologist by training, Dennis brings to Zafgen a unique skill set of clinical, regulatory
and business development experience in the fields of obesity, endocrinology, diabetes and
metabolism,” said Thomas Hughes, Ph.D., president and chief executive officer, Zafgen, Inc.
“Dennis has an impressive track record at several leading companies focused on the treatment of
metabolic disease and obesity like Amylin Pharmaceuticals and Orexigen Therapeutics. We look
forward to leveraging his expertise as we advance the development of beloranib, our lead
methionine aminopeptidase 2 (MetAP2) inhibitor, for the treatment of severe obesity.”
Dr. Kim is a board-certified endocrinologist and brings to the company more than 10 years of
experience in the biotech and medical technology industries. Prior to joining Zafgen, Dr. Kim
held multiple senior-level clinical and corporate affairs positions at Orexigen Therapeutics, a
biopharmaceutical company focused on the treatment of obesity, including senior vice president,
head of obesity/metabolic diseases; senior vice president, corporate development; and senior vice
president, medical affairs and communications. Prior to Orexigen, he was chief medical officer
and vice president of medical affairs at EnteroMedics, Inc., where he oversaw all aspects of
clinical affairs and successfully implemented an initial public offering as part of the executive
team in 2007. Previously, he spent seven years in positions of increasing responsibility at Amylin
Pharmaceuticals, Inc., most recently as executive director, corporate strategy, where he managed
corporate and business strategic planning spanning all commercial products, developmental drug
candidates, corporate alliance partnership and manufacturing support. While at Amylin, Dr. Kim
was also the lead physician for exenatide (BYETTA®), an FDA-approved therapy for type 2
diabetes, where he directed Phase 2 through 4 development and commercialization. Currently,
Dr. Kim is an assistant professor of medicine, division of endocrinology/metabolism, at the
University of California, San Diego (UCSD) School of Medicine and San Diego Veteran’sAdministration
Healthcare Systems. He holds an M.D. from the University of Health Sciences, The Chicago Medical
School, an M.B.A. from the UCSD Rady School of Management and a B.S. in biology from the University
of California at Los Angeles.
“Approximately one-third of Americans are obese, and thus there exists a tremendous unmet
medical need for effective obesity therapies in both the U.S. and worldwide,” said Dr. Kim.
“Zafgen has a potentially transformative approach to treating obesity by targeting imbalances in
fat metabolism. Phase 1 findings for the company’s MetAP2 inhibitor treatment demonstrate that
the compound rapidly reduces body weight and has a strong safety and tolerability profile in
patients with severe obesity. I look forward to working with Zafgen’s management and scientific
advisers as we prepare to begin Phase 2 studies of this promising treatment.”
About MetAP2 Inhibition and Beloranib
MetAP2 inhibitor treatment has emerged as a new peripheral mechanism driving rapid and
substantial weight loss and improvements in cardio metabolic risk factors. MetAP2 inhibitors
have the potential to be the first new class of obesity therapeutics to provide the severe obese
population with significant weight loss efficacy. Zafgen’s lead molecule is being developed as a
twice-weekly subcutaneous injection for severe obesity. The company expects to enter Phase 2
trials in obese patients and obese diabetic patients in early 2012. Zafgen is also developing new
compounds suitable for oral administration for use in broader indications as part of its second
generation program. Beloranib hemioxalate was initially developed by CKD Pharmaceuticals.
The molecule was originally profiled for efficacy in the treatment of solid tumors.
About Obesity
Obesity continues to be one of the world’s most costly and underserved growing medical
conditions. It is a complex condition with numerous causes, many of which are largely beyond
an individual’s control1. There exists a tremendous unmet medical need for effective drug
therapies to treat this serious disease, which has reached epidemic proportions and is increasing
at an alarming rate. Obesity leads to many serious health consequences. As BMI increases, so
does one’s risk for chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, musculoskeletal
disorders and some cancers2. Currently available weight loss treatments function by blocking fat
absorption or signalling feelings of fullness or diminished appetite in the brain. These drugs are
often associated with undesirable side effects and limited efficacy that fails to provide
sustainable weight loss in many patients.
According to a recent Gallup poll, Americans are making no progress in the fight against obesity,
with a slight increase in obesity rates across all key demographic groups between January 1,
2008 through April 30, 2010. The study found that adult obesity rates did not decrease between
2009 and 2010, with the rate of obesity remaining stable at 26.7 percent in the first quarter of
2010, compared to 26.2 percent in the last quarter of 2009, and that fewer Americans are
maintaining a “normal” weight as measured by BMI3.
About Zafgen, Inc.
Zafgen is pioneering novel obesity therapeutics that directly target fat metabolism to help the
body regain and sustain a lean, healthy state. The company’s approach focuses on restoring
control of key metabolic processes, releasing stored fat which then is used by the body as fuel.
Zafgen’s first generation product, beloranib, is being studied for use as a pharmacological
alternative to bariatric surgery in the treatment of severe obesity. Zafgen's leadership and
scientific advisors include leading experts in obesity, metabolic disorders and medicinal
chemistry. Founded in 2005, the company is located in Cambridge, Mass. For more information,
visit www.zafgen.com.