Company Description
TuHURA Biosciences, Inc. (NASDAQ: HURA) is a Phase 3 immuno-oncology company focused on developing novel technologies to overcome primary and acquired resistance to cancer immunotherapy. According to the company’s disclosures, resistance to cancer immunotherapies is one of the most common reasons these treatments fail to work or stop working in many patients with cancer. TuHURA’s pipeline centers on late-stage clinical candidates and discovery programs that target both tumor cells and the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment.
Core focus: overcoming resistance to cancer immunotherapy
TuHURA describes itself as a Phase 3 immuno-oncology company developing therapeutics and technologies aimed at overcoming both primary resistance and acquired resistance to checkpoint inhibitors and other cancer immunotherapies. Its programs are designed to enhance or restore anti-tumor immune responses by engaging innate and adaptive immunity and by targeting immunosuppressive cells in the tumor microenvironment, such as myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) and tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs).
Lead program: IFx-2.0 innate immune agonist in Merkel cell carcinoma
TuHURA’s lead product candidate is IFx-2.0, which the company describes as an innate immune agonist designed to overcome primary resistance to checkpoint inhibitors. IFx-2.0 is being evaluated in advanced or metastatic Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC), a rare and aggressive skin cancer.
The company reports that it has initiated a single randomized placebo-controlled Phase 3 registration trial of IFx-2.0 administered as an adjunctive therapy to Keytruda® (pembrolizumab) compared to Keytruda plus placebo in first-line treatment for advanced or metastatic MCC. This Phase 3 trial is described as an accelerated approval trial conducted under a Special Protocol Assessment (SPA) agreement with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The primary endpoint is overall response rate (ORR), with progression-free survival (PFS) as a key secondary endpoint that may be used to support regular approval if achieved without a detrimental effect on overall survival.
In addition to the Phase 3 program, TuHURA has also disclosed a Phase 1b/2a trial of IFx-2.0 as an adjunctive therapy to pembrolizumab in first-line treatment for MCC of unknown primary origin (MCCUP), using interventional radiologic administration in patients with deep-seated tumors without accessible cutaneous, subdermal, or nodal lesions.
Pipeline expansion via Kineta acquisition: TBS-2025 (VISTA inhibiting antibody)
On June 30, 2025, TuHURA completed the acquisition of Kineta, Inc., adding a novel VISTA inhibiting monoclonal antibody to its pipeline. The acquired antibody, formerly known as KVA12123, has been renamed TBS-2025. TuHURA describes TBS-2025 as a VISTA-blocking immunotherapy and a VISTA inhibiting mAb that is moving into Phase 2 development in NPM1-mutated relapsed/refractory acute myeloid leukemia (mutNPM1 r/r AML).
The company has stated plans to advance TBS-2025 into a randomized Phase 2 trial in patients with relapsed or refractory NPM1-mutated AML in combination with a menin inhibitor, compared to a menin inhibitor alone. TuHURA highlights that VISTA is an immune checkpoint highly expressed on myeloid cells, including MDSCs, and that high VISTA expression in the tumor microenvironment has been associated with immunosuppression and decreased overall survival in various studies cited in its materials.
Delta Opioid Receptor (DOR) platform and antibody drug conjugates
Beyond its late-stage clinical candidates, TuHURA is developing discovery and preclinical programs based on its Delta Opioid Receptor (DOR) technology. Company communications describe the DOR as a novel target that is expressed on tumor-associated MDSCs and TAMs and, based on TuHURA’s research, also on regulatory T cells (Tregs). The company reports that antagonism of DOR in preclinical models reduced the suppressive activity of MDSCs and TAMs and reversed T cell suppression, suggesting a potential strategy to reprogram immunosuppressive cells in the tumor microenvironment.
TuHURA states that it has developed a library of highly selective and potent DOR antagonists and is using this platform to design first-in-class, bi-specific, bi-functional immune-modulating antibody drug conjugates (ADCs) and antibody peptide conjugates. These candidates are intended to target MDSCs and related myeloid populations to inhibit their immune-suppressing effects on the tumor microenvironment and to prevent T cell exhaustion and acquired resistance to checkpoint inhibitors and cellular therapies. The company has indicated that one development strategy is to conjugate a DOR inhibitor to its VISTA inhibiting antibody TBS-2025, creating a bi-functional ADC that could simultaneously modulate VISTA and DOR pathways.
Corporate development and capital markets activity
TuHURA Biosciences’ common stock trades on The Nasdaq Capital Market under the symbol HURA, as confirmed in multiple Form 8-K filings. The company has reported several notable corporate and financing events in its public disclosures:
- Reverse merger with Kintara Therapeutics, Inc. – TuHURA references a previously announced reverse merger with Kintara Therapeutics, Inc. that closed on October 18, 2024, in pro forma financial information filed with the SEC.
- Acquisition of Kineta, Inc. – Completed on June 30, 2025, adding TBS-2025 and related assets to TuHURA’s pipeline.
- PIPE and equity financings – The company has disclosed a private placement of common stock and warrants completed on June 2, 2025, additional equity financings, and warrant exercises that provided cash proceeds to support its development programs.
- Inclusion in the Russell indexes – TuHURA announced its addition to the Russell 3000® Index and automatic inclusion in the Russell 2000® Index as part of the 2025 Russell indexes annual reconstitution, effective as of market close on June 27, 2025.
- Shelf registration and ATM facility – In November 2025, TuHURA reported that its shelf registration statement on Form S-3 became effective and that it entered into an at-the-market (ATM) offering agreement with H.C. Wainwright & Co., LLC, allowing the company to offer and sell shares of common stock up to a specified aggregate amount.
- Bridge loan transaction – In October 2025, the company entered into a secured promissory note and loan agreement providing for up to $3 million in loans, secured by U.S. patents related to its ImmuneFx technology platform, along with associated warrants to purchase common stock.
Clinical and scientific visibility
TuHURA’s programs have been featured in scientific and medical forums. The company has reported:
- Oral and poster presentations at the American Society of Hematology (ASH) Annual Meeting and Exposition, highlighting data on the DOR as a potential new target for overcoming acquired resistance to immune checkpoint inhibitors and for reprogramming TAMs and MDSCs.
- A mini symposium focused on targeting VISTA in AML, discussing the scientific rationale and clinical applications of combining TBS-2025 with a menin inhibitor in NPM1-mutated relapsed/refractory AML.
- Presentations and participation at investor conferences, including the H.C. Wainwright Global Investment Conference, where the company has provided overviews of its development pipeline and strategy.
Business model and development strategy
Based on its public statements, TuHURA’s business model is centered on the clinical development of immuno-oncology therapeutics aimed at addressing resistance to cancer immunotherapy. The company focuses on:
- Advancing late-stage clinical programs such as IFx-2.0 in MCC under an SPA agreement with the FDA.
- Progressing mid-stage programs such as TBS-2025 into Phase 2 development in hematologic malignancies, particularly mutNPM1 r/r AML in combination with a menin inhibitor.
- Building a discovery and preclinical pipeline around its DOR technology, with the goal of creating immune-modulating ADCs and related constructs targeting MDSCs and TAMs.
- Using strategic transactions (such as the acquisitions of Kineta and the reverse merger with Kintara Therapeutics) and capital markets tools (PIPE financings, ATM facility, and index inclusion) to support the advancement of its programs.
Regulatory and SEC reporting profile
TuHURA Biosciences files reports with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) under its registration as a public company. Recent filings include multiple Form 8-K reports covering material events such as financing arrangements, the Kineta acquisition, updated business and risk factor disclosures, and pro forma financial information reflecting its merger transactions. The company has also filed and amended registration statements on Form S-1 and Form S-3 related to offerings of its common stock and resale registrations for investors.
Status and listing
According to its SEC filings, TuHURA Biosciences, Inc. is incorporated in Nevada and its common stock is registered under Section 12(b) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, trading on The Nasdaq Capital Market under the ticker symbol HURA. The filings and news provided do not indicate delisting, deregistration, or bankruptcy events; instead, they describe ongoing operations, clinical development, financing activities, and index inclusion.
Key themes for investors and observers
From the available information, several themes characterize TuHURA’s profile:
- Focus on resistance mechanisms in cancer immunotherapy, addressing both primary and acquired resistance.
- A late-stage clinical asset (IFx-2.0) in a registrational Phase 3 trial in MCC under an SPA with the FDA.
- A VISTA-targeted antibody (TBS-2025) positioned for Phase 2 development in mutNPM1 r/r AML and potentially other hematologic malignancies.
- A DOR-based discovery platform aimed at reprogramming immunosuppressive myeloid and regulatory cell populations via ADCs and related constructs.
- Use of mergers and acquisitions and capital markets transactions to assemble and fund a diversified immuno-oncology pipeline.
All of the above information is drawn from TuHURA Biosciences’ own press releases and SEC filings, which describe the company’s stated strategy, programs, and corporate actions.