SYDNEY, Dec. 15,
2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Kazia Therapeutics Limited
(NASDAQ: KZIA; ASX: KZA), an oncology-focused drug development
company, is pleased to announce a collaboration with QIMR Berghofer
Medical Research Institute, one of Australia's foremost cancer research centres,
to explore novel uses of paxalisib in solid tumours.
The research project is led by Professor Sudha Rao, a leading expert in transcriptional
biology, particularly as it applies to the function of the immune
system in cancer. Professor Rao's laboratory works closely with
pharmaceutical companies and with clinicians to explore innovative
approaches to cancer treatment.
The collaboration is ongoing and will build on initial research
that has already led to the filing of a patent, including the use
of paxalisib as an immune modulator in the treatment of diseases
such as breast cancer.
Key Points
- Paxalisib is a member of a class of drugs known as PI3K
inhibitors. The direct anti-cancer effects of PI3K inhibitors are
well demonstrated, and five therapies have been approved by the US
FDA to date.
- Professor Rao's research identifies an entirely separate effect
of PI3K inhibition: as a modulator of the immune microenvironment
within and around the tumour. Administration of PI3K inhibitors
such as paxalisib, at doses and frequencies different to those
conventionally used, appears to activate the immune system in the
tumour, making it more susceptive to immunotherapy.
- The research opens up an important opportunity for paxalisib in
combination with drugs such as Keytruda® (pembrolizumab, Merck) and
Opdivo® (nivolumab, Bristol Myers Squibb) for the treatment of
diseases such as breast cancer and lung cancer. If proven effective
in clinical trials, such combinations may have the potential to
improve outcomes for patients.
- It is anticipated that the results of the research will be
published in 1H CY2023, and discussions are ongoing regarding
potential translation to clinical trials in CY2023.
"These are very promising data," commented Professor Rao,
Principal Investigator on the project. "In treatment-resistant
pre-clinical models of breast cancer, paxalisib has shown
encouraging results in inhibiting both the primary tumour burden
and metastasis by reinvigorating the immune system within the
tumour microenvironment. We look forward to continuing our
research, and hopefully seeing this work lead to a clinical trial
in due course."
"Professor Rao's team are working at the leading edge of cancer
research, and we are enormously grateful for their work on
paxalisib," said Dr James Garner,
CEO of Kazia. "An important part of our recent strategy for the
drug has been to expand its field of opportunity outside of cancers
of the brain. This work, which has primarily focused on breast
cancer, but which has applicability to other solid tumours, builds
on some promising data we previously shared which demonstrated the
potential of paxalisib in melanoma. We look forward to working with
the QIMR Berghofer team to take this research to the next
stage."
For More Information, Please Contact:-
Jane Lowe
IR Department
jane.lowe@irdepartment.com.au
Phone: +61 411 117 774
About Kazia Therapeutics
Limited
Kazia Therapeutics Limited (NASDAQ: KZIA; ASX: KZA) is an
oncology-focused drug development company, based in Sydney, Australia.
Our lead program is paxalisib, a brain-penetrant inhibitor of
the PI3K / Akt / mTOR pathway, which is being developed to treat
multiple forms of brain cancer. Licensed from Genentech in late
2016, paxalisib is or has been the subject of ten clinical trials
in this disease. A completed phase II study in glioblastoma
reported promising signals of efficacy in 2021, and a pivotal study
for registration, GBM AGILE, is ongoing, with final data expected
in CY2023. Other clinical trials are ongoing in brain metastases,
diffuse midline gliomas, and primary CNS lymphoma, with several of
these having reported encouraging interim data.
Paxalisib was granted Orphan Drug Designation for glioblastoma
by the US FDA in February 2018, and
Fast Track Designation for glioblastoma by the US FDA in
August 2020. In addition, paxalisib
was granted Rare Pediatric Disease Designation and Orphan
Designation by the US FDA for DIPG in August
2020, and for atypical teratoid / rhabdoid tumours (AT/RT)
in June 2022 and July 2022, respectively.
Kazia is also developing EVT801, a small-molecule inhibitor of
VEGFR3, which was licensed from Evotec SE in April 2021. Preclinical data has shown EVT801 to
be active against a broad range of tumour types and has provided
compelling evidence of synergy with immuno-oncology agents. A phase
I study commenced recruitment in November
2021.
For more information, please visit www.kaziatherapeutics.com or
follow us on Twitter @KaziaTx.
Forward-Looking
Statements
This announcement may contain forward-looking statements, 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 for results and data related to
Kazia's clinical and preclinical trials, and Kazia's strategy and
plans with respect to its programs, including paxalisib and EVT801.
Such statements are based on Kazia's 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, related to regulatory approvals, and the related to
the impact of global economic conditions. These and other risks and
uncertainties are described more fully in Kazia's Annual Report,
filed on form 20-F 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. You should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking
statements, which apply only as of the date of this
announcement.
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