Exhibit 99.1
Kura Oncology Reports First Quarter 2022
Financial Results
– Enrollment completed in Phase 1b expansion cohorts for ziftomenib; topline data expected in third quarter, full data presentation in fourth quarter –
– Enrollment in PIK3CA-dependent cohort in KURRENT-HN trial of tipifarnib plus alpelisib continues; first patient in HRAS overexpression cohort expected by third quarter –
– First patient in Phase 1 KURRENT-LUNG trial of tipifarnib plus osimertinib expected in third quarter –
– $480 million in cash, cash equivalents and investments provide runway through 2024 –
– Management to host webcast and conference call today at 4:30 p.m. ET –
SAN DIEGO, May 4, 2022 – Kura Oncology, Inc. (Nasdaq: KURA), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company committed to realizing the promise of precision medicines for the treatment of cancer, today reported first quarter 2022 financial results and provided a corporate update.
“We continue to operate from a position of strength, armed with three independent drug development programs, near-term clinical milestones and cash runway through 2024,” said Troy Wilson, Ph.D., J.D., President and Chief Executive Officer of Kura Oncology. “Our team continues to execute, having completed enrollment of the Phase 1b expansion cohorts for our menin inhibitor, ziftomenib, and we remain very encouraged by the safety profile, tolerability and clinical activity we are observing in the study. We continue to assess patients in the Phase 1b for safety and tolerability, pharmacokinetics and exposure, as well as efficacy, and we look forward to identifying a recommended Phase 2 dose for ziftomenib and reporting topline data from the study next quarter.”
Recent Highlights
Financial Results
2022 Milestones
Conference Call and Webcast
Kura’s management will host a webcast and conference call at 4:30 p.m. ET / 1:30 p.m. PT today, May 4, 2022, to discuss the financial results for the first quarter 2022 and to provide a corporate update. The live call may be accessed by dialing (844) 826-3035 for domestic callers and (412) 317-5195 for international callers and entering the conference code: 10166202. A live webcast and archive of the call will be available online from the investor relations section of the company 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 molecule drug candidates that target cancer signaling pathways. Ziftomenib (KO-539), a potent and selective menin inhibitor, is currently in a Phase 1b clinical trial (KOMET-001) for patients with relapsed/refractory AML, including patients with NPM1 mutations or KMT2A rearrangements. Tipifarnib, a potent, selective and orally bioavailable FTI, has received Breakthrough Therapy Designation for the treatment of patients with HRAS mutant HNSCC and is currently in a registration-directed trial (AIM-HN) in patients with this devastating disease. In addition, Kura is conducting a Phase 1/2 trial (KURRENT-HN) of tipifarnib in combination with the PI3Kα inhibitor alpelisib to address larger genetic subsets of HNSCC patients, including those whose tumors are dependent on HRAS and/or PI3Kα pathways. The Company is also preparing to initiate a Phase 1 trial (KURRENT-LUNG) of tipifarnib in combination with osimertinib in treatment-naïve locally advanced/metastatic EGFR mutated NSCLC. Kura intends to perform initial clinical evaluation with tipifarnib while in parallel advancing KO-2806, the Company’s next-generation FTI, through IND-enabling studies. 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 Kura’s product candidates, ziftomenib, tipifarnib and KO-2806, progress and expected timing of Kura’s drug development programs and clinical trials and submission of regulatory filings, the presentation of data from clinical trials, plans regarding regulatory filings and future clinical trials, the regulatory approval path for tipifarnib, the strength of Kura’s balance sheet and the adequacy of cash on hand. 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, including the Company’s quarterly report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2022, 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.
KURA ONCOLOGY, INC. |
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Statements of Operations Data |
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(unaudited) |
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(in thousands, except per share data) |
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| Three Months Ended |
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| March 31, |
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| 2022 |
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| 2021 |
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Operating Expenses: |
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Research and development |
| $ | 20,913 |
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| $ | 20,324 |
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General and administrative |
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| 11,869 |
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| 10,572 |
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Total operating expenses |
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| 32,782 |
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| 30,896 |
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Other income, net |
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| 329 |
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| 202 |
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Net loss |
| $ | (32,453 | ) |
| $ | (30,694 | ) |
Net loss per share, basic and diluted |
| $ | (0.49 | ) |
| $ | (0.46 | ) |
Weighted average number of |
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| 66,607 |
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| 66,218 |
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KURA ONCOLOGY, INC. |
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Balance Sheet Data |
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(unaudited) |
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(in thousands) |
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| March 31, |
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| December 31, |
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| 2022 |
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| 2021 |
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Cash, cash equivalents and short-term investments |
| $ | 480,075 |
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| $ | 517,960 |
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Working capital |
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| 469,309 |
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| 499,834 |
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Total assets |
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| 498,585 |
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| 534,051 |
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Long-term liabilities |
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| 4,610 |
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| 4,987 |
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Accumulated deficit |
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| (465,421 | ) |
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| (432,968 | ) |
Stockholders’ equity |
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| 476,250 |
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| 506,609 |
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Contacts
Company:
Pete De Spain
Senior Vice President, Investor Relations &
Corporate Communications
(858) 500-8803
pete@kuraoncology.com
Investors:
Robert H. Uhl
Managing Director
ICR Westwicke
(858) 356-5932
robert.uhl@westwicke.com
Media:
Jason Spark
Managing Director
Canale Communications
(619) 849-6005
jason@canalecomm.com