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Kura Oncology
Troy Wilson's Kura Oncology targets genetically defined cancers with an independent, partner-free pipeline led by the menin inhibitor ziftomenib.
Kura Oncology
Kura Oncology, Inc. was formed in 2014 by a team that included former Wellspring Biosciences and Intellikine executives, with Troy E. Wilson, Ph.D., J.D., assuming the CEO role from the outset. The company operates as an independent, publicly traded biotech (Nasdaq: KURA), not a family office or fund manager, though it has drawn capital from specialist healthcare investors such as EcoR1 Capital and OrbiMed since its 2015 IPO. Its sole focus is developing small-molecule cancer therapies that target specific genetic drivers. Kura's pipeline concentrates on menin inhibitors for acute leukemias and other solid tumors with defined genetic alterations. Its lead asset, ziftomenib, is a once-daily oral menin inhibitor being evaluated in the Phase 2 KOMET-001 trial for NPM1-mutant relapsed/refractory acute myeloid leukemia. In addition, the company is advancing KO-2806, a farnesyl transferase inhibitor, in a Phase 1 dose-escalation trial for advanced solid tumors. Kura structures its programs entirely through internal discovery and clinical development, with clinical sites across the United States and Europe. The company has publicly disclosed collaborations with Mirati Therapeutics on combination regimens. Kura reported having a workforce of approximately 100 to 150 employees and as of December 2024 held roughly $450 million in cash and marketable securities, projecting a runway into 2027. The company's market capitalization hovered around $500 million to $600 million in mid-2025. In May 2025, Kura appointed Debasish Roychowdhury, M.D., as Chief Medical Officer, bringing prior executive experience from Turning Point Therapeutics and Bristol Myers Squibb. The firm has no separate philanthropic foundation or real-asset arm and does not operate an allocator-oriented co-investment club. Structurally, Kura's independence is its defining feature. It has deliberately avoided taking a global pharmaceutical partner for its lead program, carrying ziftomenib through pivotal trials on its balance sheet with the stated goal of building an integrated commercial organization if the drug is approved. That posture separates it from the majority of its mid-cap oncology peers, who typically syndicate late-stage risk to larger partners in exchange for milestone payments.
General information
Firm type
Asset Manager
Year founded
2014
AUM
Undisclosed
Location
Region
North America
Country
United States
City
San Diego
Corporate office
San Diego, CA, United States
Principals
Troy Wilson
President and Chief Executive Officer
Sector focus
Frequently asked questions
Who runs investment and strategic decisions at Kura Oncology?
Troy Wilson, Ph.D., J.D., has served as President and CEO since founding the company in 2014. The management team operates under a board of directors that includes representatives from early institutional investors such as EcoR1 Capital and OrbiMed. Key pipeline and business-development decisions, including the choice to remain partner-free on the lead program, are driven by Wilson and the executive leadership team.
What is Kura Oncology's lead asset and where does it stand in development?
The lead compound is ziftomenib (KO-539), a menin inhibitor targeting the menin-KMT2A protein interaction. It is in Phase 2 of the KOMET-001 registration-enabling trial for patients with relapsed/refractory NPM1-mutant acute myeloid leukemia. The company is also evaluating ziftomenib in combination with standard-of-care agents in additional AML patient populations.
How is Kura funded, and what is its cash position?
Kura has been publicly traded on Nasdaq under the ticker KURA since 2015. As of year-end 2024, the company reported approximately $450 million in cash and marketable securities, which management indicated provides an operational runway into 2027. The company has not taken a large pharmaceutical co-development partner for its lead program, preferring to fund trials through equity raises and its existing balance sheet.
Does Kura Oncology take external limited partners or co-investors?
No. Kura is a publicly traded operating company, not an investment fund. It does not accept outside limited partners. Investors gain exposure by purchasing common stock on the Nasdaq exchange. The company's institutional shareholder base includes specialist healthcare funds such as EcoR1 Capital and OrbiMed, but these are passive or minority equity stakes, not co-investment vehicles.
What is Kura's structural posture on partnering its drug programs?
Kura has repeatedly stated an intention to retain full US commercial rights to ziftomenib, building its own sales organization upon potential approval. This partner-free stance is unusual for a biotech of its size and reflects a deliberate bet on capturing the full economics of a targeted oncology franchise rather than taking upfront milestone payments from a larger pharmaceutical company.
Profile maintained by Altss using OSINT (open-source intelligence), regulatory filings, licensed data partners, and verified direct submissions. Read the methodology. Last updated: . Continuous refresh with full update cycles at least every 30 days.
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