Kura Oncology, Inc. announced the appointment of Brian Powl as Chief Commercial Officer. Mr. Powl joins Kura with more than 20 years of experience in building commercial brands in hematology and oncology, with a focus on developing and executing patient-focused strategies across sales, marketing and market access for global biotech and pharmaceutical products. Mr. Powl has more than two decades of experience in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industry, including extensive global experience in hematologic malignancies.

Most recently, he served as Chief Commercial Officer for Fate Therapeutics, where he led the commercialization efforts for the company?s oncology and immunology portfolio. Previously, Mr. Powl was Senior Vice President, Commercial Development & Marketing at MEI Pharma, Inc., where he led the commercialization efforts of a late-stage small molecule program in B-cell malignancies. Earlier in his career, Mr. Powl held positions of increasing responsibility at Celgene Corporation including Vice President, Global Commercial CAR T lead, where he led the commercialization efforts of ABECMA® and BREYANZI®, led ex-U.S. commercial operations, and served as the Global Marketing lead for Celgene?s flagship multiple myeloma franchise during the life cycle expansion of REVLIMID® and POMALYST® into new markets and indications while strengthening the pipeline of products in myeloma.

Prior to Celgene, Mr. Powl held sales and marketing positions at Novartis Oncology and Centocor, Inc.Mr. Powl holds a BS in Biochemistry from the University of California, San Diego and an MBA in Healthcare Management/Marketing from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania.