Kazia Therapeutics to Request FDA Type C Meeting to Discuss Overall Survival Data in GBM and Potential NDA Filing in Alignment with FDA initiative Project FrontRunner
Rhea-AI Summary
Kazia Therapeutics (NASDAQ: KZIA) intends to request a Type C meeting with the U.S. FDA to discuss overall survival (OS) data for paxalisib in newly diagnosed glioblastoma (GBM) and to seek feedback on a potential regulatory pathway aligned with the FDA Oncology Center of Excellence's Project FrontRunner.
Key disclosed data: in a prespecified secondary analysis of up-front unmethylated GBM, median OS was 15.54 months for paxalisib (n=54) vs 11.89 months for concurrent standard of care (n=46). Kazia plans to propose initiating a post-approval randomized Phase 3 confirmatory study prior to NDA submission and to present survival analyses, safety data, and trial design to the FDA.
Positive
- Median OS improvement reported: 15.54 vs 11.89 months
- Plan to seek FDA feedback under Project FrontRunner for earlier-line approval
- Proposal to start a post-approval randomized Phase 3 before NDA submission
Negative
- OS result is from a prespecified secondary analysis, not a primary endpoint
- Small subgroup sizes: n=54 (paxalisib) and n=46 (SOC)
- Regulatory path depends on FDA feedback; conditional approval is not guaranteed
News Market Reaction
On the day this news was published, KZIA gained 4.58%, reflecting a moderate positive market reaction. Argus tracked a peak move of +35.5% during that session. Argus tracked a trough of -13.2% from its starting point during tracking. Our momentum scanner triggered 9 alerts that day, indicating moderate trading interest and price volatility. This price movement added approximately $495K to the company's valuation, bringing the market cap to $11M at that time. Trading volume was very high at 4.1x the daily average, suggesting strong buying interest.
Data tracked by StockTitan Argus on the day of publication.
"GBM remains one of the most lethal cancers with limited therapeutic options. In line with the FDA Oncology Center of Excellence's Project FrontRunner initiative, we intend to engage the Agency to discuss whether the overall survival data generated in newly diagnosed GBM patients treated with paxalisib may be adequate to support a conditional approval pathway," said Dr. John Friend, M.D., Chief Executive Officer of Kazia Therapeutics. "Consistent with this framework, Kazia will propose initiation of the post-approval, randomized Phase 3 confirmatory study prior to submission of the NDA, ensuring that our regulatory strategy fully reflects the FDA's renewed emphasis on overall survival as the most meaningful endpoint for patients and clinicians."
In its recently issued draft guidance, the FDA stated that overall survival is the "gold standard" endpoint in oncology and "should be prioritized as the primary endpoint when feasible," particularly in diseases with a short natural history where survival can be reliably assessed. Kazia believes GBM is precisely such a setting and intends to present survival analyses, supporting clinical safety, and planned confirmatory trial design for FDA discussion.
Project FrontRunner is an FDA Oncology Center of Excellence initiative encouraging sponsors to consider when it may be appropriate to seek approval of cancer drugs for advanced or metastatic disease in an earlier clinical setting, rather than the traditional approach of developing therapies only for patients who have exhausted available treatment options.
As announced in July 2024, in the prespecified secondary analysis in newly diagnosed (up-front) unmethylated GBM patients, median OS was 15.54 months in the paxalisib arm (n = 54) versus 11.89 months for concurrent standard of care (SOC) (n = 46). Kazia intends to reference Project FrontRunner principles in its Type C briefing package, including an OS-driven confirmatory study plan in newly diagnosed GBM.
"We are moving decisively to bring paxalisib forward in GBM using the endpoints that matter most to patients and physicians," added Dr. Friend. "Our objective is to work collaboratively with the FDA under the guiding principles of Project FrontRunner to pursue a conditional approval in the front-line treatment setting of glioblastoma. In parallel, Kazia will initiate the post-approval, randomized Phase 3 study prior to filing the NDA, ensuring that our development plan fully aligns with the Agency's modernized, patient-focused framework."
Kazia also notes that leading oncology companies have begun publicly referencing Project FrontRunner in successful FDA actions, underscoring the initiative's growing relevance for sponsors developing first-line or earlier-setting therapies.
For investor and media, please contact Alex Star, Managing Director LifeSci Advisors LLC, Astarr@lifesciadvisors.com, +1-201-786-8795.
About Kazia Therapeutics Limited
Kazia Therapeutics Limited (NASDAQ: KZIA) is an oncology-focused drug development company, based in
Forward-Looking Statements
This announcement contains forward-looking statements, which can generally be identified as such by the use of words such as "may," "will," "plan," "intend," "estimate," "future," "forward," "potential," "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: Kazia's intention to request and hold a Type C meeting with the FDA to discuss OS findings in GBM patients treated with paxalisib and to seek agency feedback on a potential regulatory pathway, the plan to propose initiation of the post-approval, randomized Phase 3 confirmatory study prior to submission of the NDA, the intention to present survival analyses, supporting clinical safety and planned confirmatory trial design for FDA discussion, Kazia's intention to reference Project FrontRunner principles in its Type C briefing package, the objective to work collaboratively with the FDA under the guiding principles of Project FrontRunner, the plan to pursue a conditional approval in the front-line treatment setting of GBM, the plan to initiate the post-approval, randomized Phase 3 study prior to filing the NDA, the goal of ensuring that Kazia's development plan and regulatory strategy fully reflects and aligns with the FDA's framework and emphasis, the timing for results and data related to Kazia's clinical and preclinical trials, Kazia's strategy and plans with respect to its paxalisib program, the potential benefits of paxalisib, timing for any regulatory submissions or discussions with regulatory agencies and the potential market opportunity for paxalisib. 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 associated with clinical and preclinical trials and product development, including the risk that interim or early data may not be consistent with final data, risks related to regulatory approvals, risks related to the impact of global economic conditions and
SOURCE Kazia Therapeutics Limited