Kura Oncology Announces Senior Executive Promotions

Executive Leadership Changes - Mollie Leoni, MD, promoted to Chief Medical Officer after serving as Executive Vice President of Clinical Development and clinical lead for the ziftomenib program since 2020 [1] - Francis Burrows, PhD, promoted to Chief Scientific Officer after leading translational research efforts for the past nine years [1] - Stephen Dale, MD, steps down as Chief Medical Officer and Head of R&D to prioritize personal health, effective January 2, 2025 [1] Leadership Contributions and Expertise - Stephen Dale played a key role in advancing ziftomenib through a first registration-enabling study and laying the foundation for KO-2806 as a combination partner across solid tumor indications [2] - Mollie Leoni has a robust background in oncology and orphan drug development, previously leading clinical efforts for mogamulizumab at Kyowa Kirin, which achieved international registration for cutaneous T-cell lymphoma [2] - Francis Burrows has over 20 years of experience in drug discovery and development, focusing on cancer biology and small molecule drugs, and founded two biotech startups, including Conforma Therapeutics, acquired by Biogen in 2006 [3] Company Overview and Pipeline - Kura Oncology is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on precision medicines for cancer treatment, with a pipeline of small molecule drug candidates targeting cancer signaling pathways [4] - Ziftomenib, a once-daily oral menin inhibitor, is the first investigational therapy to receive Breakthrough Therapy Designation from the FDA for relapsed/refractory NPM1-mutant AML [4] - Kura entered a global strategic collaboration with Kyowa Kirin in November 2024 to develop and commercialize ziftomenib for AML and other hematologic malignancies [4] - Enrollment in a Phase 2 registration-directed trial of ziftomenib in R/R NPM1-mutant AML has been completed, with a New Drug Application anticipated in 2025 [5] - KO-2806, a next-generation farnesyl transferase inhibitor, is in a Phase 1 dose-escalation trial as a monotherapy and in combination with targeted therapies [5] - Tipifarnib, a selective FTI, is in a Phase 1/2 trial in combination with alpelisib for PIK3CA-dependent head and neck squamous cell carcinoma [5]