Kura Oncology, Inc. (Nasdaq: KURA) announced today that preclinical data for its next-generation farnesyl transferase inhibitor (FTI), KO-2806, has been selected for oral presentation at the upcoming American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) Annual Meeting in Chicago on April 28, 2025.
The presentation will highlight promising preclinical findings demonstrating KO-2806's ability to enhance the antitumor activity of cabozantinib, a tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI), specifically in clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) tumors that have progressed on anti-VEGFR agents.
"The latest findings for our next-generation farnesyl transferase inhibitor, KO-2806, being presented at this year's AACR Annual Meeting, add to the growing body of data demonstrating the potential of FTIs as companion therapeutic agents to augment the antitumor activities of various targeted therapies and to overcome resistance in combination," said Francis Burrows, Ph.D., Chief Scientific Officer of Kura Oncology.
Novel Combination Approach for Renal Cell Carcinoma
The oral presentation, titled "Farnesyl transferase inhibitor KO-2806 enhances the antitumor activity of cabozantinib in ccRCC tumors that progress on anti-VEGFR agents," will be delivered during the Minisymposium on Novel Antitumor Agents on Monday, April 28, 2025, at 4:25 PM CT.
This research is particularly significant for patients with renal cell carcinoma who develop resistance to standard therapies. Clear cell renal cell carcinoma represents approximately 75% of all kidney cancers, with limited treatment options available for patients who progress on first-line therapies.
The combination of KO-2806 with cabozantinib represents a novel approach to potentially overcome treatment resistance in this patient population. Cabozantinib is an established TKI that targets multiple kinases involved in tumor growth and angiogenesis, while KO-2806 inhibits farnesyl transferase, an enzyme critical for the function of various cancer-promoting proteins.
Clinical Development Progress
Kura Oncology is currently evaluating KO-2806 in the Phase 1 FIT-001 clinical trial, which is assessing the compound both as a monotherapy and in combination with cabozantinib in patients with renal cell carcinoma.
"We continue to make good progress in our FIT-001 trial evaluating KO-2806 in solid tumor indications where there is unmet medical need, and we look forward to presenting the first clinical data for KO-2806 as monotherapy and in combination with cabozantinib for the treatment of RCC later this year," Dr. Burrows added.
The company expects to present initial clinical data from this trial in the second half of 2025, which will provide important insights into the safety and efficacy of this combination approach in patients.
Expanding Pipeline of Precision Medicines
KO-2806 is part of Kura Oncology's growing pipeline of precision medicines targeting cancer signaling pathways. The company is also developing ziftomenib, a menin inhibitor that received Breakthrough Therapy Designation from the FDA for relapsed/refractory NPM1-mutant acute myeloid leukemia (AML).
In November 2024, Kura entered into a global strategic collaboration with Kyowa Kirin Co., Ltd. to develop and commercialize ziftomenib. The companies anticipate submitting a New Drug Application (NDA) to the FDA in the second quarter of 2025 following the completion of enrollment in a Phase 2 registration-directed trial.
Additionally, Kura is evaluating tipifarnib, another farnesyl transferase inhibitor, in a Phase 1/2 trial in combination with alpelisib for patients with PIK3CA-dependent head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.
Significance for Renal Cell Carcinoma Treatment
Renal cell carcinoma remains a challenging malignancy with approximately 76,000 new cases diagnosed annually in the United States. Despite advances in targeted therapies and immunotherapies, many patients eventually develop resistance to these treatments, highlighting the need for novel therapeutic approaches.
The preclinical data to be presented at AACR suggests that the combination of KO-2806 with cabozantinib could potentially address this unmet need by providing a new strategy to overcome resistance mechanisms in ccRCC.
The full presentation will be available on Kura Oncology's website in the Posters and Presentations section at the beginning of the presentation session on April 28, 2025.
