Kura Oncology Highlights Preclinical Data Demonstrating Potential of Farnesyl Transferase Inhibitors to Overcome Drug Resistance in Combination with Key Targeted Therapies Across Multiple Tumor Types
Analyst/Investor event showcases opportunities for KO-2806 (darlifarnib) in combination with PI3Kα inhibitors, KRAS inhibitors and antiangiogenic tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs)
Preliminary clinical data and KO-2806 development plans to be presented in October 2025 in conjunction with the ESMO Congress 2025
SAN DIEGO, Sept. 16, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Kura Oncology, Inc. (NASDAQ:KURA), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company committed to realizing the promise of precision medicines for the treatment of cancer, today is hosting the first of two analyst/investor events focused on its farnesyl transferase inhibitor (FTI) program. The session features compelling preclinical data illustrating the potential of FTIs to address a common resistance pathway, thereby enhancing the anti-tumor activity of PI3Kα inhibitors, KRAS inhibitors and antiangiogenic tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) across a range of diverse tumor types. These findings, drawn from Kura's pioneering research on FTI mechanisms, offer important context to interpret the preliminary clinical data to be presented next month at the ESMO Congress 2025.
"Innovation in cancer therapy demands not just new drugs, but smarter combinations to confront resistance head-on," said Troy Wilson, Ph.D., J.D., President and Chief Executive Officer of Kura Oncology. "Today's preclinical presentations underscore the transformative potential of KO-2806 – also known as darlifarnib – as a versatile combination therapy to major classes of precision medicines, paving the way for our upcoming presentations of its first, preliminary clinical data at ESMO 2025 next month."
Topics discussed during today's event include:
- Overcoming Resistance: Innate and adaptive resistance mechanisms can significantly limit the long-term efficacy of monotherapy with PI3Kα inhibitors, KRAS inhibitors and antiangiogenic tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs), underscoring the need for combination therapies.
- Pioneering FTI Innovation: Kura has pioneered the discovery and development of farnesyl transferase inhibition and the targeting of mTOR – a clinically validated target – to overcome drug resistance and amplify the impact of targeted oncology therapeutics when paired with an FTI.
- KO-2806, A Next-Generation FTI: Also known as darlifarnib, KO-2806 is Kura's optimized, next-generation FTI, which was designed to provide superior potency, pharmacokinetics and physicochemical properties compared to first-generation candidates. Preclinical studies support the use of KO-2806 in combination with other agents to target pathways of resistance across a range of large indications.
- Robust Preclinical Activity: In a broad panel of genetically-defined, in vivo tumor models, FTIs potently suppress mTOR signaling, driving enhanced anti-tumor activity when combined with antiangiogenic TKIs, PI3Kα inhibitors and KRAS inhibitors.
- Class-Wide Applicability: Preclinical results with multiple agents from each targeted therapy class indicate broad mechanistic overlap, suggesting KO-2806's potential extends across these classes.
- Re-Sensitization in Relapsed Models: In preclinical non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and colorectal cancer (CRC) models, KO-2806 re-sensitizes tumors to both mutant-selective or pan-KRAS inhibitors, restoring responsiveness in these models of relapsed settings.
- Upcoming Clinical Milestones: In advance of its three presentations of FTI clinical data at the ESMO 2025 Congress, Kura reviewed the rationale, design and objectives of its ongoing FTI Phase 1 trials.
- Expansive Patient Opportunity: KO-2806 combinations with standard-of-care agents could reach a substantial patient population. Combining with cabozantinib or other TKIs positions KO-2806 to address critical gaps in the treatment of renal cell carcinoma (RCC) and neuroendocrine tumors (NET). Extending to KRAS- and PI3Kα-mutant cancers in NSCLC, CRC, breast cancer and beyond, KO-2806 has the potential to impact more than 200,000 incident patients in the U.S. annually.
Today's event will be held at 1:30 p.m. PT / 4:30 p.m. ET.
Kura plans to host a second event on October 18, 2025, at 10:30 a.m. PT / 1:30 p.m. ET to review clinical data from Kura's three scheduled presentations at the European Society of Medical Oncology (ESMO) Congress 2025.
A live webcast and archived replay of each event will be available on the Events page in the Investors section of Kura's website.
About Kura Oncology
Kura Oncology is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company committed to realizing the promise of precision medicines for the treatment of cancer. The Company's pipeline of small molecule drug candidates is designed to target cancer signaling pathways and address high-need hematologic malignancies and solid tumors. Kura is developing ziftomenib, a menin inhibitor targeting certain genetic drivers of acute myeloid leukemias and continues to pioneer advancements in both menin inhibition and farnesyl transferase inhibition to address mechanisms of adaptive and innate resistance in the treatment of solid tumors. For additional information, please visit the Kura website at https://kuraoncology.com/ and follow us on X and LinkedIn.
Contacts
Investors and media:
Greg Mann
858-987-4046
[email protected]
