Kura Oncology stock rises after promising cancer drug combination data

Published 20/10/2025, 14:04
© Reuters.

Investing.com -- Kura Oncology Inc (NASDAQ:KURA) stock rose 4.7% in Monday premarket trading following the company’s presentation of encouraging clinical data for its farnesyl transferase inhibitor (FTI) programs at the European Society for Medical Oncology Congress.

The clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company reported preliminary data showing that its drug darlifarnib demonstrated potential as a combination therapy with several existing cancer treatments. The data revealed darlifarnib’s ability to overcome resistance in solid tumors when combined with the multi-kinase inhibitor cabozantinib in renal cell carcinoma patients, with objective response rates of 33%-50% in clear cell RCC patients.

Additionally, Kura’s tipifarnib, when combined with alpelisib, showed a 47% objective response rate in heavily pretreated head and neck squamous cell carcinoma patients with PIK3CA alterations. This represents significant improvement over alpelisib monotherapy, which typically shows minimal clinical benefit in this population.

"The data highlight KO-2806’s ability to overcome resistance in solid tumors, resensitizing refractory tumors to the multi-kinase inhibitor cabozantinib (cabo) and boosting efficacy in naive patients," commented Citizens analyst Reni J. Benjamin, who reiterated a Market Outperform rating and $24.00 price target on Kura Oncology.

As a monotherapy, darlifarnib demonstrated encouraging antitumor activity in HRAS-mutant solid tumors, which are typically difficult to treat with existing therapies. The company reported a manageable safety profile across multiple dose levels.

Kura Oncology is positioning its FTI programs as potential combination partners with major classes of precision medicines, including tyrosine kinase inhibitors, PI3Kα inhibitors, and KRAS inhibitors, to address mechanisms of resistance in cancer treatment.

This article was generated with the support of AI and reviewed by an editor. For more information see our T&C.

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