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 (HNSCC) accounting for most head and neck cancers.
The relapsed and/or refractory 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 has estimated annual U.S. incidence of approximately 2,800 to 3,400 patients and we believe represents a significant unmet medical need.
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 Phase 2 study of tipifarnib in Squamous Head and Neck Cancer with HRAS mutations, visit clinicaltrials.gov.
Peripheral T-Cell Lymphomas (PTCL)
PTCL consists of a group of rare and usually aggressive non-Hodgkin lymphomas that develop from mature immune cells, called T-cells.
PTCLs collectively account for about five to ten percent of annual cases of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, corresponding to an annual incidence of approximately 5,000 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.
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 Phase 2 study of tipifarnib in subjects with relapsed or refractory Peripheral T-Cell Lymphoma (PTCL), visit clinicaltrials.gov.
Myelodysplastic Syndromes (MDS)
MDS are a group of hematopoietic stem cell malignancies with significant morbidity and mortality.
MDS is characterized by ineffective blood cell production, or hematopoiesis, leading to low blood cell counts, or cytopenias, and high risk of progression to acute myeloid leukemia, or AML. MDS is a highly heterogeneous disease, and the severity of symptoms and disease progression can vary widely among patients.
According to the American Cancer Society, the annual incidence of MDS is approximately 13,000 patients in the United States, the majority of whom are 60 years of age or older. The estimated prevalence is over 60,000 patients in the United States.
A substantial portion of MDS patients lack effective therapies, and NCCN guidelines recommend clinical trials as additional therapeutic options. We believe that treatment of MDS remains a significant unmet need requiring the development of novel therapies.
For more information, visit:
To learn more about our Phase 2 study of tipifarnib in subjects with transfusion-dependent, very low, low, or intermediate risk Myelodysplastic Syndromes, visit clinicaltrials.gov.
Chronic Myelomonocytic Leukemia (CMML)
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.
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 Phase 2 study of tipifarnib in patients with Chronic Myelomonocytic Leukemia (CMML), visit clinicaltrials.gov.