ABOUT US

Our mission is to realize the promise of precision medicines to help patients with cancer lead better, longer lives.

We aim to help patients with cancer achieve long-lasting remission through targeted, well-tolerated treatments.

Built into our pipeline of novel precision medicines is a focus on expanding patient populations and leveraging smart treatment combinations to prevent tumors from developing resistance. Taken together, we believe these innovations can redefine patient outcomes.

Precision medicines have only scratched the surface of what’s possible. As our knowledge of tumor biology and our repertoire of targeted therapies expand, so do our chances of potentially conquering cancer.

Troy Wilson, Ph.D., J.D.
President and CEO, Kura Oncology

OUR COMMITMENT

Leveraging our deep scientific understanding of cancer biology, including previously untapped molecular drivers of disease, we’re developing medicines that treat cancer with exquisite precision and minimal damage to healthy cells.

To date, such medicines have benefited only a fraction of the cancer patient population. And even for those who do benefit initially, disease usually returns as treatment resistance develops. Through our pioneering science, we’re advancing drug candidates to address these long-standing challenges.

THE STORY BEHIND OUR NAME

The Kura River in southwestern Asia is metaphor for our history in drug discovery as well as the foundational molecular pathways we’re targeting to treat cancer more efficiently and durably.

LEARN MORE

OUR LEADERSHIP

Troy Wilson, Ph.D., J.D.

President & Chief Executive Officer

Teresa Bair, J.D.

Chief Legal Officer

Francis Burrows, Ph.D.

Chief Scientific Officer

Kathleen Ford

Chief Operating Officer

Mollie Leoni, M.D.

Chief Medical Officer

Brian Powl

Chief Commercial Officer

Roger Bakale, Ph.D.

Senior Vice President, Manufacturing and Supply Chain

Tom Doyle

Senior Vice President, Finance & Accounting

Samir Vattompadam

Senior Vice President, Global Program Leadership

LEADERSHIP IN THE NEWS

Board of Directors

Troy Wilson, Ph.D., J.D.

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BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Troy Wilson, Ph.D., J.D.

Chairman

Troy E. Wilson, Ph.D., J.D., is one of Kura’s co-founders and has served as President, CEO and Chairman of Kura’s Board of Directors since inception in August 2014. He also co-founded Avidity Biosciences (NASDAQ: RNA) and has served as Chairman of its Board of Directors since its inception in 2013. Previously, he co-founded and served as President and CEO of Araxes Pharma LLC and Wellspring Biosciences, Inc., where his team pioneered the discovery and development of small molecules inhibitors of the KRAS oncoprotein. Earlier in his career, Dr. Wilson co-founded and served as President and CEO of Intellikine, a private biopharmaceutical company, acquired by Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited in 2011, and he co-founded and served as Chief Business Officer of Ambrx (NASDAQ: AMAM), acquired by Johnson & Johnson Innovative Medicines in 2024. He serves as a director of Puma Biotechnology and Cartography Biosciences. Dr. Wilson holds a law degree from New York University and graduated with a Ph.D. in bioorganic chemistry and a B.A. in biophysics from the University of California, Berkeley.

Faheem Hasnain

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BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Faheem Hasnain

Lead Independent Director

Mr. Hasnain has served as a member of our Board of Directors since April 2015. Mr. Hasnain served as President, Chief Executive Officer and a director of Receptos, Inc. from November 2010 until the company’s acquisition by Celgene Corporation in August 2015. Prior to joining Receptos, Mr. Hasnain was the President and Chief Executive Officer and a director of Facet Biotech Corporation, a biology driven antibody company with a focus in multiple sclerosis and oncology. He held that position from December 2008 until the company’s acquisition by Abbott Laboratories in April 2010. Previously, Mr. Hasnain was President, Chief Executive Officer and a director of PDL BioPharma, Inc. from October 2008 until Facet Biotech was spun off from PDL BioPharma in December 2008. From October 2004 to September 2008, Mr. Hasnain served at Biogen Idec Inc., a biotechnology company specializing in neurological disorders, autoimmune disorders and cancer, most recently as Executive Vice President in charge of the oncology/rheumatology strategic business unit. Prior to Biogen Idec, Mr. Hasnain held roles with Bristol Myers Squibb, where he was President of the Oncology Therapeutics Network, and for 14 years at GlaxoSmithKline and its predecessor organizations. He has been Chairman of the Board of Sente, Inc. since 2008, Chairman of the Board of Tocagen Inc. since November 2014 and member of the Board of Directors of Vital Therapies, Inc, since August 2016. He previously served as Chairman of the Board of Ambit Biosciences Corporation and served as a member of the Board of Directors of Tercica, Inc., Aragon Pharmaceuticals and Somaxon Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Mr. Hasnain received a B.H.K. and B.Ed. from the University of Windsor Ontario in Canada.

Helen Collins, M.D.

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BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Helen Collins, M.D.

Director

Dr. Collins joined our Board of Directors in July 2021, with more than 25 years of experience in medical oncology/hematology. Most recently, she served as Executive Vice President and Chief Medical Officer at Five Prime Therapeutics, overseeing the development of bemarituzumab, a first-in-class anti-FGFR2b antibody for the treatment of patients with gastric cancer, until the company’s acquisition by Amgen in April 2021. Previously, Dr. Collins held positions of increasing responsibility at Gilead Sciences, most recently as Program and Clinical Lead for Gilead’s GS-5829 (BET inhibitor) and GS-4059 (BTK inhibitor) programs, and Amgen, most recently as Global Lead of Oncology Biosimilars. Prior to her career in the biopharma industry, Dr. Collins practiced as a medical oncologist/hematologist for 12 years. She earned her M.D. from Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, completing her residency at Johns Hopkins Hospital and oncology fellowship at Stanford University School of Medicine, and her B.A. from Bryn Mawr College.

Thomas Malley

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BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Thomas Malley

Director

Mr. Malley has served as a member of our Board of Directors since October 2015. Mr. Malley has served as President of Mossrock Capital, LLC, or Mossrock, a private investment firm, since May 2007. He worked for Janus Mutual Funds in positions of increasing responsibility from April 1991 to May 2007. From January 1999 to May 2007, Mr. Malley served as the portfolio manager of the Janus Global Life Sciences Fund and also led the Janus Healthcare team of analysts. From 1991 to 1998 Mr. Malley served as an equity analyst for Janus covering, among others, healthcare and biotechnology stocks. Mr. Malley has been a director of OvaScience, Inc., a public life sciences company, since October 2012, and BeiGene, Ltd., a public biotechnology company, since January 2016. Previously, he served as a director of Synageva BioPharma Corp., a public biopharmaceutical company, from 2006 to 2015, until its acquisition by Alexion Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Puma Biotechnology, Inc., a public biopharmaceutical company, from 2011 to 2015, and Cougar Biotechnology, Inc., a public biopharmaceutical company, from 2007 to 2009, until its acquisition by Johnson and Johnson. Mr. Malley holds a B.S. in Biology from Stanford University.

Diane Parks

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BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Diane Parks

Director

Ms. Parks joined the board of directors in October 2019 with more than 30 years of commercial experience in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries. Most recently, she served as Senior Vice President, Head of U.S. Commercial for Kite Pharma (acquired by Gilead for $11.9 billion), where she developed and executed the strategic plan for the commercial launch of Yescarta®, the first CAR-T therapy approved for large B-cell lymphoma. Previously, Ms. Parks served as Vice President, Head of Global Marketing for Pharmacyclics (acquired by Abbvie for $21 billion), where she was responsible for the marketing strategy and launch of Imbruvica®. Before that, she served as Vice President, Sales for Amgen, where she successfully led the Hospital and Nephrology sales teams. In addition, she served as Senior Vice President, Specialty Biotherapeutics and Managed Care for Genentech (acquired by Roche for $46.8 billion). In addition, she served as Senior Vice President, Specialty Biotherapeutics and Managed Care for Genentech (acquired by Roche for $46.8 billion). She currently serves on the boards of Calliditas Therapeutics, Soligenix, TriSalus Life Sciences, CTI BioPharma Corp. and Celularity Inc. Ms. Parks earned an MBA from Georgia State University and a BS from Kansas State University.

Carol Schafer

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BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Carol Schafer

Director

Ms. Schafer joined our Board of Directors in June 2021, with more than 25 years of experience in healthcare investment banking. She is currently the Managing Partner at Hyphen Advisors. Ms. Schafer previously served as Vice Chair, Equity Capital Markets at Wells Fargo Securities from 2007 to 2018, where she oversaw more than 200 transactions that raised nearly $90 billion in proceeds. Prior to that, Ms. Schafer served as Vice President of Finance and Business Development at Lexicon Pharmaceuticals from 2003 to 2007. Earlier, she held positions of increasing responsibility at J.P. Morgan, most recently serving as Managing Director of Equity Capital Markets. Ms. Schafer currently serves on the board of directors of Insmed, Repare Therapeutics and Immunome, and she previously served on the board of Five Prime Therapeutics until its acquisition by Amgen in April 2021. She holds an M.B.A from New York University’s Stern School of Business and a B.A. from Boston College.

Mary Szela

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BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Mary Szela

Director

Ms. Szela joined our board of directors in November 2018 with more than 30 years of experience as an executive in the biotechnology and pharmaceutical industry. She is currently the Chief Executive Officer and President of TriSalus Life Sciences, a company developing technologies to deliver immune oncology agents to solid tumors in high mortality cancers. Previously, she was Chief Executive Officer of Novelion Therapeutics, where she executed the merger of Aegerion Pharmaceuticals and QLT Therapeutics, and Melinta Therapeutics. Earlier, Ms. Szela spent 25 years at Abbott Laboratories, where she held a number of ascending leadership positions, including President of Abbott’s $8 billion U.S. Pharmaceuticals business. Ms. Szela has previously served on the board of Receptos, acquired by Celgene for $7.2 billion in July 2015, and Novo Nordisk, a Danish multinational pharmaceutical company. She currently serves on the board of Coherus Biosciences, Alimera Sciences and TriSalus Life Sciences. Ms. Szela earned an MBA and a bachelor’s degree in nursing from the University of Illinois.

Michael Vasconcelles, M.D.

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BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Michael Vasconcelles, M.D.

Director

Dr. Vasconcelles joined our Board of Directors in 2024 as an accomplished biopharmaceutical executive with more than 25 years of oncology drug development experience and industry leadership. He currently serves as a Senior Advisor to the Life Sciences team at Frazier Healthcare Partners. Previously, he was Executive Vice President & Head of Research, Development, and Medical Affairs at ImmunoGen. Prior to ImmunoGen, he was the Chief Medical Officer and Head of the Medical and Scientific Organization at Flatiron Health, a wholly owned subsidiary of the Roche Group. Before that, he served as Chief Medical Officer at Unum Therapeutics. Prior to joining Unum, Dr. Vasconcelles spent several years at Takeda/Millennium as Senior Vice President and Head of the Oncology Therapy Area unit. Prior to Takeda/Millennium, he was Group Vice President and the Global Therapeutic Area Head of Transplant and Oncology at Genzyme Corporation. After Sanofi’s acquisition of Genzyme, Dr. Vasconcelles joined Sanofi Oncology as Head of Personalized Medicine and Companion Diagnostics.

Dr. Vasconcelles also serves as a Board member of the Personalized Medicine Coalition and the Eastern New England American Cancer Society, a non-executive director of Molecular Partners, and a member of numerous Scientific Advisory Boards within the biopharmaceutical industry. From 1996 to 2021, Dr. Vasconcelles taught as a clinical instructor at the Harvard Medical School and was an associate physician at the Brigham and Women’s Hospital and the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. Dr. Vasconcelles received his B.A. and M.D. from Northwestern University.