Brian Powl
Kura OncologyAbout Brian Powl
Brian Powl, 51, has served as Kura Oncology’s Chief Commercial Officer since August 2023, bringing 20+ years of hematology/oncology commercialization experience. He previously led commercialization at Fate Therapeutics and held senior commercial roles at MEI Pharma and Celgene (global CAR-T launches of ABECMA and BREYANZI; multiple myeloma franchise leadership). He holds a B.S. in Biochemistry (UC San Diego) and an MBA in Healthcare Management/Marketing (Wharton). Kura remains a clinical‑stage, pre‑revenue company progressing its lead menin inhibitor ziftomenib; an NDA for NPM1‑mutant AML was submitted on March 31, 2025, as the company builds its first commercial organization under Powl’s remit .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Years | Strategic impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fate Therapeutics | Chief Commercial Officer | 2022–2023 | Led commercialization for oncology and immunology portfolio |
| MEI Pharma | SVP, Commercial Development & Marketing | 2020–2022 | Led commercialization of late‑stage small molecule program in B‑cell malignancies |
| Celgene | Roles incl. VP, Global Commercial CAR‑T lead; global marketing lead (MM) | 2011–2020 | Led global commercialization of ABECMA and BREYANZI; life‑cycle expansion of REVLIMID and POMALYST |
External Roles
- None disclosed in company filings for public company boards or similar external directorships .
Fixed Compensation
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Base salary | $475,000 per year (set at hire; effective Aug 14, 2023) |
| Target annual bonus | Up to 40% of base salary; discretionary based on company and individual objectives; must be employed through year‑end to earn |
Performance Compensation
- Annual bonus program design (company‑wide): Corporate objectives with at‑risk payout; for CEO, weighting is 100% corporate objectives; for other executives, bonus typically based 75% corporate goals and 25% individual goals; maximum payout 150% of target .
- Long‑term equity program (company‑wide): Options and RSUs are primary vehicles; 2024 stock options for NEOs vest monthly over 4 years; RSUs vest in equal annual installments over 4 years .
| Metric | Weighting | Target/Payout mechanics | Vesting/Timing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual bonus – corporate goals | 100% (CEO) / 75% (other execs) | Discretionary; 0–150% of target | Paid by Mar 15 following performance year, subject to being employed at year‑end |
| Annual bonus – individual goals | 0% (CEO) / 25% (other execs) | Discretionary; 0–150% of target | As above |
| Stock options | N/A | Exercise price = closing price on grant date | Vest monthly over four years (typical) |
| RSUs | N/A | Full value awards | Vest in four equal annual installments (typical) |
- PSU framework (program context): Company introduced PSUs for executives in 2023 that vest in six equal tranches on milestone achievement; not specific to Powl . Company equity plan performance goals include items such as regulatory filings/approvals, clinical milestones, revenue/sales targets, and TSR among others .
Equity Ownership & Alignment
| As-of date | Shares owned directly | Options exercisable within 60 days | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 16, 2023 (Form 3) | 0 | 0 | Initial Statement of Beneficial Ownership reported no securities |
| Mar 31, 2025 (DEF 14A) | 2,167 | 105,208 | Beneficial ownership <1% of outstanding shares |
Additional alignment and risk mitigants:
- Anti‑hedging and pledging: Company policy prohibits short sales, options, hedging, margin accounts and pledges by executives and directors .
- Clawbacks: Company maintains SEC/Nasdaq‑compliant clawback policies; awards are subject to recoupment .
- Equity mix/vesting: Options commonly vest over 4 years; RSUs vest annually over 4 years, designed to retain executives across the commercialization transition .
- Selling pressure context: As an indicator, 2024 NEO option grants carried a $15.36 exercise price, while KURA’s closing price was $6.60 on March 31, 2025—implying those grants were underwater at that date; Powl’s specific option exercise prices were not disclosed .
Employment Terms
| Term | Details |
|---|---|
| Role and start date | Chief Commercial Officer; effective Aug 14, 2023 |
| At‑will employment | Employment is at‑will for both parties |
| Inducement equity | Agreement references an option to purchase 200,000 shares (grant detail referenced in the agreement) |
| Severance (non‑transaction) | If terminated without cause or resigns for good reason outside the CoC window: lump sum equal to 12 months’ base salary; up to 12 months COBRA premiums (or cash equivalent if needed) |
| CoC window | 59 days prior to, on, or within 12 months after a Corporate Transaction |
| Severance (in CoC window) | If terminated without cause or resigns for good reason in the CoC window: (i) lump sum equal to 12 months’ base salary; (ii) lump sum equal to full target bonus for year of transaction; (iii) up to 12 months COBRA premiums (or cash equivalent); and (iv) 100% vesting of equity; PSUs, if any, vest at target |
| Section 280G | “Best‑net” cutback—payments reduced to avoid excise tax or paid in full subject to 4999 tax, whichever yields better after‑tax outcome; no excise tax gross‑up |
| Dispute resolution | Mandatory JAMS arbitration in San Diego; Company covers arbitration fees above court fees |
| 409A | Agreement drafted to comply with Section 409A; six‑month delay if specified employee |
Investment Implications
- Compensation alignment: Base salary and a 40% target bonus are paired with multi‑year equity vesting, anti‑hedging/pledging, and clawbacks—indicating standard biotech pay‑for‑performance and alignment practices entering first commercialization .
- Retention risk vs. CoC economics: Non‑transaction severance (12 months’ salary + 12 months COBRA) is competitive for a CCO; change‑of‑control protection adds a full target bonus and single‑trigger equity vesting upon qualifying termination in the CoC window—protective in M&A while still using a best‑net 280G cutback (no gross‑ups) .
- Insider selling pressure: Beneficial ownership is modest (<1%). As of March 31, 2025, many 2024 options across the exec team were underwater relative to the $6.60 share price, which typically reduces near‑term exercise/sell pressure; Powl’s specific option exercise prices were not disclosed .
- Execution track record: Powl’s prior leadership over two commercial CAR‑T launches and multiple myeloma franchises aligns with Kura’s transition to launch readiness for ziftomenib following the NDA submission in March 2025, a key value creation lever for the equity story .
- Governance and shareholder sentiment: Strong say‑on‑pay support (96% in 2023; 92% in 2024) suggests broad shareholder acceptance of executive compensation structure as Kura approached commercialization and increased equity usage, including performance‑based awards at the senior team level .
Appendix: Key Tables
Fixed Compensation Details
| Component | Amount / Terms |
|---|---|
| Base Salary | $475,000 (effective Aug 14, 2023) |
| Target Bonus | 40% of base salary; discretionary based on corporate/individual goals |
Ownership and Equity (Chronological)
| Period | Shares Owned | Options (Exercisable ≤60 days) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 16, 2023 | 0 | 0 | Form 3: no securities beneficially owned |
| Mar 31, 2025 | 2,167 | 105,208 | Beneficial ownership <1% |
Severance and Change-of-Control Economics
| Scenario | Cash | Health | Equity |
|---|---|---|---|
| Termination without cause / good reason (non‑CoC) | 12 months base salary (lump sum) | COBRA premiums up to 12 months (or cash equivalent) | No acceleration disclosed in non‑CoC case |
| Termination without cause / good reason (within CoC window) | 12 months base salary + full target bonus (lump sums) | COBRA premiums up to 12 months (or cash equivalent) | 100% vesting (PSUs at target if applicable) |
| Tax treatment | Best‑net 280G cutback; no excise tax gross‑up | — | — |
Company Program Features (Context)
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Option vesting | Monthly over 4 years (typical for 2024 awards) |
| RSU vesting | Equal annual installments over 4 years (typical) |
| Anti‑hedging/pledging | Prohibited (short sales, options, hedging, margin, pledges) |
| Clawbacks | SEC/Nasdaq‑compliant policies in force |
| 2025 price reference | $6.60 closing price on Mar 31, 2025 |
Notes:
- Kura remains clinical‑stage (no product revenue), so TSR/revenue/EBITDA growth metrics are not applicable at this stage; strategy and regulatory milestones dominate performance assessment .
- The employment agreement references a 200,000‑share option; subsequent beneficial ownership shows 105,208 options exercisable within 60 days as of Mar 31, 2025; grant dates and exercise prices for Powl’s awards were not disclosed in the proxies .