Kura Oncology Inc. (NASDAQ:KURA) has announced the acceptance for oral presentation of an abstract detailing the preliminary data from its ongoing clinical trial, KOMET-001 by the American Society of Hematology.
Kura to present KOMET-001 data at ASH meeting
The data is from the clinical trial evaluating KO-539, Kura’s selective, potent, and oral inhibitor, and will be presented during this year’s 62nd ASH Annual Meeting and Exposition. On November 5, 2020, the abstract will be posted on the ASH website with the updated data being presented in the meeting.
The title of the abstract: “Preliminary Data on a Phase 1/2A First in Human Study of the Menin-KMT2A (MLL) Inhibitor KO-539 in Patients with relapsed or Refractory Acute Myeloid Leukaemia.” The publication number of the Abstract is 115 and will be presented during the session for “Acute Myeloid Leukaemia: Novel Therapy, excluding Transplantation: Novel Promising therapies for relapsed/refractory AML.”
The Kura Oncology Menin Inhibitor Trial, KOMET-001 is a phase 1/2A trial evaluating the tolerability, safety, and recommended phase two dose for the oral inhibitor, KO-539 in treating relapsed/refractory acute myeloid leukemia (AML) patients. The company is planning an expansion phase in definite genetic subgroups that include KMT2A rearranged AML and NPM1 mutant AML further to evaluate the tolerability and anti-leukemic activity of KO-539.
KO-539 has the potential of inhibiting the growth of leukemia cells
Normally epigenetic alterations by menin-KMT2A (MLL) protein complex can result in HOXA9/MEIS1 expression, resulting in proliferation, stemness, and differentiation block. The rearrangements of KMT2A (MLL) change the normal methyltransferase function of KMT2A, which leads to high HOX levels and blockage of hematopoietic differentiation leading to leukemia.
KO-539 is a selective oral experimental drug that targets KMT2A (MLL) interaction in treating genetically identified AML patients that have a high unmet medical need. Preclinical models have shown that KO-539 can inhibit the KMT2A protein complex, and it also has other downstream effects on the expression of HOXA9/MEIS1. The experimental inhibitor of menin-KMT2A (MLL) can inhibit the growth, survival, and proliferation of leukemia cells. The US Food and Drug Administration granted KO-539 Orphan Drug Designation for the treatment AML.
