– Presentations to highlight preclinical data supporting combination of FTIs with KRAS^G12C inhibitors and tyrosine kinase inhibitors –

SAN DIEGO, March 14, 2023 (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 announced that two abstracts have been accepted for presentation at the upcoming American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) Annual Meeting, to be held in Orlando from April 14-19, 2023.

“We look forward to presenting preclinical data supporting the combination of farnesyl transferase inhibitors (FTIs) with KRAS^G12C inhibitors and tyrosine kinase inhibitors at this year’s AACR Annual Meeting,” said Troy Wilson, Ph.D., J.D., President and Chief Executive Officer of Kura Oncology. “These data add to the emerging body of evidence supporting the potential to use FTIs as combination agents to prevent or delay emergence of resistance to certain classes of targeted therapy. We recently announced FDA clearance of the Investigational New Drug application for our next-generation farnesyl transferase inhibitor, KO-2806, which was designed to improve upon potency, pharmacokinetic and physicochemical properties of earlier FTI drug candidates, and we look forward to initiating our FIT-001 Phase 1 trial with KO-2806 later this year.”

Session titles and information for the two abstracts are listed below and are now available on the AACR online itinerary planner.

Combination of tipifarnib with KRAS^G12C inhibitors to prevent adaptive resistance 
Session Category / Title: Clinical Research Excluding Trials / Precision Molecular Subtyping and Therapeutic Development
Session Date and Time: Sunday, April 16, 2023; 1:30 PM - 5:00 PM ET
Location: Orange County Convention Center, Poster Section 43
Abstract / Poster: 1079 / 23

Tipifarnib synergizes with TKIs in clear cell renal cell carcinoma models
Session Category / Title: Clinical Research Excluding Trials / Precision Molecular Subtyping and Therapeutic Development
Session Date and Time: Sunday, April 16, 2023; 1:30 PM - 5:00 PM ET
Location: Orange County Convention Center, Poster Section 43
Abstract / Poster: 1071 / 15

Copies of the presentations will be available on Kura's website at https://kuraoncology.com/pipeline/#posters_and_presentations following presentation at the meeting.

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 consists of small molecule drug candidates that target cancer signaling pathways. Ziftomenib is a once-daily, oral drug candidate targeting the menin-KMT2A protein-protein interaction for the treatment of genetically defined AML patients with high unmet need. The Company is currently enrolling patients in a Phase 2 registration-directed trial (KOMET-001) of ziftomenib in NPM1-mutant relapsed or refractory AML. Kura is preparing to initiate multiple Phase 1 trials to evaluate ziftomenib in combination with current standards of care in earlier lines of therapy and across multiple patient populations, including NPM1-mutant and KMT2A-rearranged AML. Tipifarnib, a potent and selective FTI, is currently in a Phase 1/2 trial (KURRENT-HN) in combination with alpelisib for patients with PIK3CA-dependent HNSCC. Kura intends to evaluate KO-2806, a next-generation FTI, in a Phase 1 dose-escalation trial (FIT-001) as a monotherapy and in combination with other targeted therapies in adult patients with advanced solid tumors. For additional information, please visit Kura’s website at www.kuraoncology.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

This news release contains certain forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to be materially different from historical results or from any future results expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements include statements regarding, among other things, the efficacy, safety and therapeutic potential of tipifarnib and KO-2806, and progress and expected timing of Kura’s drug development programs. Factors that may cause actual results to differ materially include the risk that compounds that appeared promising in early research or clinical trials do not demonstrate safety and/or efficacy in later preclinical studies or clinical trials, the risk that Kura may not obtain approval to market its product candidates, uncertainties associated with performing clinical trials, regulatory filings, applications and other interactions with regulatory bodies, risks associated with reliance on third parties to successfully conduct clinical trials, the risks associated with reliance on outside financing to meet capital requirements, and other risks associated with the process of discovering, developing and commercializing drugs that are safe and effective for use as human therapeutics, and in the endeavor of building a business around such drugs. You are urged to consider statements that include the words “may,” “will,” “would,” “could,” “should,” “believes,” “estimates,” “projects,” “promise,” “potential,” “expects,” “plans,” “anticipates,” “intends,” “continues,” “designed,” “goal,” or the negative of those words or other comparable words to be uncertain and forward-looking. For a further list and description of the risks and uncertainties the Company faces, please refer to the Company's periodic and other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, which are available at www.sec.gov. Such forward-looking statements are current only as of the date they are made, and Kura assumes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

Contacts

Investors:
Pete De Spain
Senior Vice President, Investor Relations &
Corporate Communications
(858) 500-8803
pete@kuraoncology.com

Media:
Alexandra Weingarten
Senior Manager, Corporate Communications
(858) 500-8822
alexandra@kuraoncology.com