Kura Oncology Announces Preliminary Data from Its Farnesyl Transferase Inhibitor (FTI) Programs at the 2025 European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) Congress

Core Insights - Kura Oncology is advancing the use of farnesyl transferase inhibitors (FTIs) in combination with targeted therapies to overcome resistance mechanisms in cancer treatment [2][11] - Preliminary data from ongoing clinical trials indicate promising efficacy of darlifarnib, showing a 50% objective response rate and an 80% disease control rate in renal cell carcinoma when combined with cabozantinib [1][4] - The company is hosting a virtual investor event to discuss these findings and their implications for future cancer therapies [9][10] Clinical Data Highlights - Darlifarnib demonstrated a 50% objective response rate (ORR) and an 80% disease control rate (DCR) in renal cell carcinoma (RCC) patients in an ongoing dose-escalation trial [1][4] - The combination of tipifarnib and alpelisib showed a 47% ORR in heavily pretreated patients with PIK3CA-altered head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) [6][7] - The ongoing studies are assessing the optimal biologically active dose for combinations across various tumor types [6][4] Mechanism of Action - FTIs like darlifarnib block hyperactivated mTORC1 signaling in tumor endothelial cells, which is crucial for enhancing the efficacy of PI3Kα inhibitors [6][11] - The mechanism of FTIs addresses both innate and adaptive resistance pathways common in targeted oncology therapies [2][6] Future Directions - Kura Oncology plans to further evaluate darlifarnib in combination with PI3Kα inhibitors across different solid tumors [6][11] - A Phase 1b dose-expansion study is planned to determine the optimal dosing strategy for the combination therapies [6][4]