Kazia Therapeutics to Participate in J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference Week; Clinical and Translational Update Anticipated Before Month-End

Rhea-AI Summary

Kazia Therapeutics (NASDAQ: KZIA) said CEO John Friend will attend J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference week and meet investors and partners.

The company highlighted it is well capitalized after a recent financing and expects a clinical and translational update before month-end from its Phase 1b paxalisib trial in advanced triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC), including additional clinical responses and expanded circulating tumor cell (CTC) and CTC cluster biomarker analyses. Kazia also plans the first update on its PD-L1 protein degrader program.

Positive

• Completed recent financing; company reports being well capitalized
• Anticipated Phase 1b TNBC update before month-end with biomarker data
• Prior paxalisib observations showed rapid, sustained reductions in CTCs and clusters

Negative

• Phase 1b data are early-stage and not yet definitive for efficacy
• Anticipated update timing is guidance, not a completed readout
• No quantitative clinical or financial metrics provided in the announcement

News Market Reaction – KZIA

+1.50%

1 alert

+1.50% News Effect

On the day this news was published, KZIA gained 1.50%, reflecting a mild positive market reaction.

Data tracked by StockTitan Argus on the day of publication.

Market Reality Check

Price: $8.45 Vol: Volume 230,936 is 9% belo...

normal vol

$8.45 Last Close

Volume Volume 230,936 is 9% below 20-day average of 254,092 (relative volume 0.91). normal

Technical Price 6.68 is trading below 200-day MA of 7.09 and 61.61% below 52-week high.

Peers on Argus

KZIA gained 1.83% while peers were mixed: MBRX -1.93%, ERNA -5.34%, LPTX +238.84...

KZIA gained 1.83% while peers were mixed: MBRX -1.93%, ERNA -5.34%, LPTX +238.84%, MBIO +3.67%, XTLB -4.06%, indicating stock-specific factors around this update-focused news.

Historical Context

5 past events · Latest: Dec 22 (Positive)

Pattern 5 events

Date	Event	Sentiment	Move	Catalyst
Dec 22	Nasdaq compliance	Positive	-8.0%	Regained full compliance with Nasdaq listing standards after equity-raising.
Dec 10	Breast cancer data	Positive	-17.8%	Reported paxalisib translational and early clinical activity in TNBC and HER2+.
Dec 02	Private placement	Positive	+9.9%	Announced ~$50M private placement to fund paxalisib and PD-L1 degrader programs.
Nov 18	TNBC iCR update	Positive	-5.3%	Disclosed initial iCR in metastatic TNBC and broader pipeline and Nasdaq updates.
Oct 27	GBM survival data	Positive	+4.6%	Planned FDA Type C meeting based on favorable GBM overall survival analysis.

Pattern Detected

Recent history shows KZIA often declining on seemingly positive clinical or regulatory milestones, with selloffs after favorable breast cancer and compliance updates, and gains only on the large financing and some GBM data.

Recent Company History

Over the last few months, KZIA reported several milestones, including GBM overall survival data on Oct 27, 2025, an initial iCR in metastatic TNBC and PD‑L1 degrader progress on Nov 18, 2025, and translational breast cancer data on Dec 10, 2025. A $50 million private placement priced at $5.00 per ADS on Dec 2, 2025 strengthened the balance sheet and helped regain full Nasdaq compliance by Dec 18, 2025. Today’s JPM Week participation and anticipated TNBC update fit into this ongoing clinical and strategic narrative.

Market Pulse Summary

This announcement highlights KZIA’s engagement with investors during JPM Week and signals a near-ter...

Analysis

This announcement highlights KZIA’s engagement with investors during JPM Week and signals a near-term update from the Phase 1b TNBC trial of paxalisib, including additional response observations and detailed CTC and CTC cluster biomarker work. It also flags the first update from the PD‑L1 protein degrader program. In the context of recent GBM survival data and the $50 million financing, investors may watch how these readouts shape longer-term development plans.

Key Terms

triple-negative breast cancer, TNBC, circulating tumor cell, CTC clusters, +3 more

7 terms

triple-negative breast cancer medical

"Phase 1b trial evaluating paxalisib in advanced triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC)."

Triple-negative breast cancer is a type of breast cancer that lacks three common markers used to identify and treat the disease effectively. Because it doesn’t respond to some targeted therapies, it can be more difficult to treat and may have a more aggressive progression. This impacts the development of new treatments and can influence the outlook for healthcare companies involved in cancer research and pharmaceuticals.

TNBC medical

"Phase 1b trial evaluating paxalisib in advanced triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC)."

A subtype of breast cancer that lacks three common treatment targets — the hormone receptors for estrogen and progesterone, and the HER2 protein — so standard targeted medicines usually won’t work. Think of it like a door with none of the usual keyholes, meaning doctors rely on chemotherapy, new targeted drugs, or immunotherapy. Investors care because TNBC drives demand for novel drugs, influences clinical trial risk and regulatory milestones, and can significantly affect the valuation of biotech and pharma companies working on treatments.

circulating tumor cell medical

"expanded circulating tumor cell (CTC) and CTC cluster biomarker analyses"

A circulating tumor cell is a rare cancer cell that has broken away from a tumor and is traveling in the bloodstream; unlike ordinary blood cells, these cells can seed new tumors elsewhere in the body. Investors care because tests or therapies that detect, track or eliminate these cells can improve how doctors monitor disease, pick treatments and measure drug effect — like spotting a few seeds floating downstream that reveal whether and where a garden is spreading.

CTC clusters medical

"reductions in CTCs and CTC clusters, biomarkers increasingly linked to metastatic potential"

CTC clusters are groups of cancer cells that have broken away from a tumor and travel together in the bloodstream; think of them as a small pack rather than lone rafts. They matter to investors because clusters tend to seed new tumors more effectively than single cells, so detecting, measuring, or disrupting them can be a faster path to diagnostic products, prognostic tests, and therapies that change clinical outcomes and therefore commercial value.

PI3K/mTOR pathway medical

"renewed industry focus on the PI3K/mTOR pathway—particularly in hormone receptor–positive"

A cellular signaling network of proteins that tells cells when to grow, divide, use energy and survive; think of it as a cell’s control system for growth and fuel management. Many cancers and metabolic diseases hijack this pathway, so drugs that block or modify it can slow tumor growth or alter disease progression. Investors watch progress against this pathway because successful therapies can drive large clinical and commercial value.

biomarker medical

"clinical and biomarker update before the end of the month."

A biomarker is a measurable indicator found in the body, such as in blood or tissues, that provides information about health, disease, or how the body responds to treatment. For investors, biomarkers can signal the potential success or risk of medical products or therapies, influencing the value of related companies and industry trends. They act like signals or clues that help assess the progress of medical advancements and their market impact.

PD-L1 protein degrader medical

"first update on its potential first-in-class PD-L1 protein degrader program."

A PD‑L1 protein degrader is a drug designed to remove a specific protein (PD‑L1) that acts like a brake on the immune system’s ability to attack cancer cells; instead of merely blocking the brake, it aims to take the brake off entirely by degrading the protein. For investors this matters because the approach could produce stronger or longer-lasting anti‑cancer effects than traditional blockers, offering commercial upside if safe and effective, but it also carries typical drug-development and regulatory risks.

AI-generated analysis. Not financial advice.

SYDNEY, Jan. 8, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Kazia Therapeutics (NASDAQ: KZIA) today announced that its Chief Executive Officer, John Friend, MD, will be in San Francisco next week to participate in meetings during the annual J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference week (JPM Week).

During the week, Kazia will connect with existing and prospective institutional investors, sell-side analysts, and strategic collaborators, including both established partners and potential new industry counterparties, as part of ongoing investor relations and business development outreach.

"We are entering JPM Week with strong strategic and clinical momentum," said Dr. John Friend, M.D., Chief Executive Officer of Kazia Therapeutics. "Following the successful completion of our recent financing, we are well capitalized to execute across multiple near-term catalysts, including an anticipated triple negative breast cancer clinical and biomarker update before the end of the month. At the same time, renewed industry focus on the PI3K/mTOR pathway—particularly in hormone receptor–positive, HER2-negative breast cancer—underscores the growing relevance of approaches that are designed to be differentiated and patient-friendly, such as paxalisib."

Anticipated Clinical and Program Updates

Kazia expects to provide a clinical and translational update before the end of the month from its ongoing Phase 1b trial evaluating paxalisib in advanced triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). The update is anticipated to include additional clinical response observations, together with expanded circulating tumor cell (CTC) and CTC cluster biomarker analyses, further evaluating paxalisib's potential impact on metastatic disease biology.

As previously reported, paxalisib treatment in advanced TNBC has been associated with rapid and sustained reductions in CTCs and CTC clusters, biomarkers increasingly linked to metastatic potential and adverse clinical outcomes. Notably, prior observations in the patient demonstrated that temporary interruption of paxalisib dosing was accompanied by a rebound increase in CTC clusters, with subsequent re-initiation again suppressing overall CTC count and cluster formation, supporting a mechanistically distinct and pharmacodynamically consistent contribution beyond that of immunotherapy alone.

The impending update could meaningfully expand the clinical and biological dataset supporting paxalisib in metastatic breast cancer, providing further context around treatment response, biological consistency, and translational relevance, and may further inform the broader development strategy for paxalisib across breast cancer subtypes.

In addition, Kazia plans to provide the first update on its potential first-in-class PD-L1 protein degrader program. This program is designed to leverage a novel and differentiated mechanism of action, reflecting evolving scientific strategies aimed at addressing biological complexity, resistance, and durability challenges in immune-based cancer therapies.

About Kazia Therapeutics Limited

Kazia Therapeutics Limited is an innovative oncology-focused drug development company, based in Sydney, Australia. Our lead program is paxalisib, a brain-penetrant pan-PI3K/mTOR inhibitor, which is being developed to treat multiple forms of brain cancer, including glioblastoma and brain metastases. A Phase 1b clinical trial is also underway evaluating paxalisib in combination with checkpoint inhibition and chemotherapy for patients with advanced triple-negative breast cancer. EVT801, a selective VEGFR3 inhibitor, is currently in a Phase 1 clinical trial for advanced solid tumors. Kazia is working to rapidly progress these assets through clinical development and toward commercialization.

Forward Looking Statements

This announcement may contain forward-looking statements, within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, as amended, which can generally be identified as such by the use of words such as "may," "will," "estimate," "future," "forward," "anticipate," or other similar words. Any statement describing Kazia's future plans, strategies, intentions, expectations, objectives, goals or prospects, and other statements that are not historical facts, are also forward-looking statements, including, but not limited to, statements regarding: the timing, scope, design, conduct, progress, and results of clinical trials and clinical updates; the anticipated clinical and translational update in Kazia's ongoing Phase 1b trial evaluating paxalisib in TNBC before the end of January; the plan to provide the first update on the PD-L1 protein degrader program; the interpretation, durability, and potential significance of clinical and preclinical results; the continued development, regulatory pathway, and the potential therapeutic benefits of the Company's product candidates, including paxalisib and its PD-L1 protein degrader program; the Company's ability to advance its pipeline, obtain regulatory approvals, pursue and maintain strategic collaborations, and execute on its business, development, and capital strategies; and the Company's future expectations, plans, and prospects. Such statements are based on Kazia's current expectations and projections about future events and future trends affecting its business and are subject to certain risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated in the forward-looking statements, including risks and uncertainties: related to market and other conditions, associated with clinical and preclinical trials and product development, including the risk that preliminary or interim data may not reflect final results, related to regulatory approvals, and related to the impact of global economic conditions. These and other risks and uncertainties are described more fully in Kazia's most recent Annual Report on Form 20-F filed with the SEC and in subsequent filings with the SEC. Kazia undertakes no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise, except as required under applicable law. Investors should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which apply only as of the date of this announcement.

CONTACT: Kate Hill, +61 437 376 171, kate.hill@kaziatherapeutics.com

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/kazia-therapeutics-to-participate-in-jp-morgan-healthcare-conference-week-clinical-and-translational-update-anticipated-before-month-end-302656513.html

SOURCE Kazia Therapeutics Limited

FAQ

When will Kazia Therapeutics (KZIA) provide the TNBC clinical update?

Kazia expects a clinical and translational update from its Phase 1b TNBC trial before the end of January 2026.

What will Kazia's TNBC update include for paxalisib (KZIA)?

The update is expected to include additional clinical response observations and expanded CTC and CTC cluster biomarker analyses.

How does the recent financing affect Kazia (KZIA)?

Management said the recent financing leaves the company well capitalized to pursue near-term catalysts.

What is Kazia announcing about its PD-L1 protein degrader program (KZIA)?

Kazia plans to provide the first update on its potential first-in-class PD-L1 protein degrader program, describing its novel mechanism.

Will the JPM Week meetings include investor and partner outreach for KZIA?

Yes; the CEO will meet with institutional investors, sell-side analysts, and strategic collaborators during J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference week.