Kura reports KO-7246 diabetes research data

• Kura Oncology and Caspian Therapeutics presented preclinical data for KO-7246 at the EASD meeting in Milan.
• KO-7246 showed glucose normalization and pancreatic islet regeneration in Type 1 diabetes animal models.
• The candidate is undergoing IND-enabling development, with Caspian planning a Phase 1 clinical evaluation.

Kura Oncology (NASDAQ:KURA) and Caspian Therapeutics presented preclinical findings for KO-7246, an investigational diabetes treatment candidate, at the European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD) meeting in Milan.

The companies reported that KO-7246 normalized fasting glucose in a majority of animals in a Type 1 diabetes rat model, with pancreatic islet regeneration reaching 40% to 90% of healthy-control levels among responding animals by Day 56.

Kura and Caspian said normal glucose levels and increased C-peptide levels persisted for at least one month after treatment was discontinued in the Type 1 diabetes model.

In a Type 2 diabetes mouse model, the companies reported that KO-7246 increased pancreatic β-cell mass 3.4-fold, while combination treatment with semaglutide showed enhanced activity compared with either treatment alone.

The companies said human-islet experiments showed increased β-cell proliferation and improved insulin release in response to glucose, while KO-7246 remains in IND-enabling development ahead of a planned Phase 1 evaluation by Caspian.