Our Message to Patients
At Kura Oncology, our goal is to help patients with cancer lead better, longer lives.
We are developing targeted, small-molecule therapies designed to inhibit the mutated or abnormally functioning cellular pathways that drive cancer growth. We intend to pair these product candidates with molecular diagnostics to identify patients with tumors most likely to respond to treatment.
We are advancing our pipeline of targeted therapies in preclinical and clinical studies for defined subsets of patients, based on the genomic, molecular and/or pathological profile of the patient’s disease.
We invite you to learn more about our pipeline of targeted therapies, the diseases we target and our ongoing clinical trials, as well as to explore resources for these diseases.
Diseases We Target
Participating in Clinical Trials
Clinical trials are an important part of helping bring safe and effective medicines to patients.
All product candidates go through a rigorous series of clinical trials, and regulatory agencies, including the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and European Medicines Agency, decide whether to approve medicines based on the results of those trials.
For patients who lack effective treatments, clinical trials are also an opportunity to be a part of testing a new product candidate. By taking part in clinical trials, patients can make an important contribution to ongoing research and better understanding of a disease.
HRAS Mutant Squamous Head and Neck Cancer
Head and neck cancer is a leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide, with squamous cell carcinomas accounting for most head and neck cancers.
The relapsed and/or refractory head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) patient population has an overall survival of approximately six to eight months and existing therapeutic options, including new therapies such as immunotherapy, typically show a response rate in the range of 10-20 percent.
Researchers have identified genetic mutations in people with HNSCC. However, it is not yet clear what role most of these mutations play in the development or progression of cancer.
HRAS is a gene implicated in the development and progression of HNSCC. HRAS is a proto-oncogene, which is a normal gene that can become an oncogene due to mutations or increased expression. HRAS is mutated and/or over-expressed in certain HNSCC tumors.
HRAS mutant HNSCC is a disease of high unmet need. Overall response rates for the three therapies approved for treatment of HNSCC in the second liner range from 13-16%, with progression-free survival of approximately two months.
For more information, visit:
- American Cancer Society: Head and Neck Cancer
- NIH National Cancer Institute: Head and Neck Cancer
- Head and Neck Cancer Alliance
To learn more about our clinical study of tipifarnib in Squamous Head and Neck Cancer with HRAS mutations, visit clinicaltrials.gov.
Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML)
AML is a leukemia that begins when the bone marrow begins making abnormal myeloblasts (white blood cells), red blood cells or platelets.
While there have been strides in developing treatments for AML, of acute leukemias remain an area of high unmet need. This includes NPM1 mutations and KMT2A/MLL-rearranged AML, genetically defined subsets that are often implicated in cancer progression and linked to poor prognosis in patients.
Preclinical data suggests that acute myeloid leukemias are sensitive to treatment with KO-539, a potentially first-in-class menin inhibitor with preclinical data that support the potential for anti-tumor activity in NPM1-mutant and KMT2A/MLL-rearranged acute leukemias. We are currently investigating a Phase 1/2 clinical trial in patients with relapsed or refractory AML.
For more information, visit:
To learn more about our clinical study of KO-539 in patients with Acute Myeloid Leukemia, visit clinicaltrials.gov.
Other HRAS Mutant Squamous Cell Carcinomas (Closed to further enrollment)
Squamous cells are found in the outer layer of skin and in the mucous membranes. Head and neck cancer is one of a number of different types of cancer that arises from squamous cells. Other types of cancer that can result from squamous cells include vulvar, penile, cutaneous and lung.
Preclinical and clinical data suggest that, among solid tumors with HRAS mutations, squamous cell tumors are sensitive to treatment with tipifarnib, and treatment with tipifarnib can, in some patients, produce durable responses.
To learn more about our clinical study of tipifarnib in other Squamous Cell Carcinomas with HRAS mutations, visit clinicaltrials.gov.
Peripheral T-Cell Lymphomas (PTCL) (Closed to further enrollment)
PTCL consists of a group of rare and usually aggressive non-Hodgkin lymphomas that develop from mature immune cells, called T-cells. Angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma (AITL) is a particularly rare and aggressive form of PTCL.
PTCLs collectively account for about five to ten percent of annual cases of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, corresponding to an annual incidence of approximately 4,000 patients per year in the United States.
The five-year survival for patients with PTCL is low — roughly 40% by most published records — and few treatment options provide a durable treatment effect. Effective options for relapsed patients are limited.
More recently, the expression of a biomarker called CXCL12 was linked to a worse prognosis in PTCL patients when treated with standard of care therapy. It is estimated that patients with high CXCL12 expression represent approximately 40% of those afflicted with PTCL.
We believe that treatment of PTCL remains a significant unmet need requiring the development of novel therapies.
For more information, visit:
- Lymphoma Research Foundation
- Peripheral T-Cell Lymphoma Facts from the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society
To learn more about our clinical study of tipifarnib in relapsed or refractory Peripheral T-Cell Lymphomas, including Angioimmunoblastic T-Cell Lymphoma, visit clinicaltrials.gov.
Chronic Myelomonocytic Leukemia (CMML) (Closed to further enrollment)
CMML is a disorder of bone marrow stem cells in which an increase in white blood cells, or monocytosis, is a defining feature.
The clinical presentation of CMML varies from predominantly myelodysplastic, an ineffective production of blood cells, to predominantly myeloproliferative, an overproduction of blood cells.
CMML is primarily a disease of the elderly with a median age at diagnosis of 65 to 75 years, and an estimated annual incidence of approximately 1,100 patients in the United States.
The prognosis for patients with CMML is poor, with median survival of two to three years and a 15% to 20% risk of transformation to acute myeloid leukemia. The three-year survival for patients with CMML is low — roughly 29% by most published records — and few treatment options provide a durable treatment effect.
Certain CMML patients have high expressions of the biomarker CXCL12, which has been correlated with a poorer prognosis. Management of CMML typically focuses on supportive care as therapeutic options are limited. Accordingly, we believe treatment of adult CMML remains an unmet medical need.
For more information, visit:
To learn more about our clinical study of tipifarnib in patients with Chronic Myelomonocytic Leukemia, visit clinicaltrials.gov.