LA JOLLA, Calif., Nov. 04, 2016 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Kura Oncology, Inc. (NASDAQ:KURA), a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company, today presented preclinical findings and data from the company’s ongoing Phase 2 trial in HRAS mutant solid tumors at the 9th European Scientific Oncology Conference (ESOC-9) in Marbella, Spain. Antonio Gualberto, M.D., Ph.D., chief medical officer, delivered a presentation titled, “Targeting the RAS-ERK Pathway.”

Kura is currently evaluating tipifarnib, a farnesyl transferase inhibitor, as a potential treatment for patients with HRAS mutant solid tumors. In his presentation, Dr. Gualberto provided details on three patients with HRAS mutant squamous head and neck cancer (SCCHN), treated with tipifarnib. Two of the three SCCHN patients experienced a confirmed partial response (PR) and have been on study for 15 months and 8 months, while a third patient experienced disease stabilization for 7 months. The two partial responses were observed after 6 and 2 cycles of treatment, respectively. All three SCCHN patients had received prior treatment with cetuximab alone or in combination with chemotherapy but appeared to derive lesser benefit with those regiments than with the subsequent tipifarnib treatment.

“Despite the fact that HRAS was identified as an oncogene more than 40 years ago, there have been no effective therapeutic approaches in the clinic,” said Dr. Gualberto. "These data may constitute the first demonstration of mechanism-based inhibition of HRAS in cancer patients, and support further investigation of tipifarnib in squamous head and neck cancer, an indication of high unmet need."

Dr. Gualberto’s slide presentation is available in the Scientific Presentations and Papers section of Kura Oncology's website at www.kuraoncology.com.

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 molecules that target cancer signaling pathways where there is a strong scientific and clinical rationale to improve outcomes by identifying those patients most likely to benefit from treatment. Kura Oncology’s lead drug candidate is tipifarnib, a farnesyl transferase inhibitor, which is currently being studied in multiple Phase 2 clinical trials. The preclinical pipeline includes KO-947, an ERK inhibitor, and a menin-MLL program. For additional information about Kura Oncology, please visit the company’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 Kura Oncology’s product candidates including tipifarnib. You are urged to consider statements that include the words “may,” “will,” “would,” “could,” “believes,” “estimates,” “projects,” “potential,” “expects,” “plans,” “anticipates,” “intends,” “continues,” “designed,” “goal,” or the negative of those words or other comparable words to be uncertain and forward-looking. These forward-looking statements are based upon Kura Oncology’s current expectations and involve assumptions that may never materialize or may prove to be incorrect. Actual results and the timing of events could differ materially from those anticipated in such forward-looking statements as a result of various risks and uncertainties, which include, without limitation, the risk that compounds that appeared promising in early studies or clinical trials do not demonstrate safety and/or efficacy in later studies or clinical trials, the risk that Kura Oncology may not obtain approval to market its product candidates, uncertainties associated with performing clinical trials, regulatory filings and applications, 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. For a further list and description of the risks and uncertainties Kura Oncology faces, please refer to Kura Oncology’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 Oncology assumes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

CONTACT INFORMATION

INVESTOR CONTACT:
Robert H. Uhl
Managing Director
Westwicke Partners, LLC
(858) 356-5932
robert.uhl@westwicke.com

CORPORATE COMMUNICATIONS CONTACT:
Mark Corbae
Vice President
Canale Communications
(619) 849-5375
mark@canalecomm.com

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