Kazia Therapeutics Ltd 6-K, filed Jan 18, 2024
Kazia Therapeutics Ltd (KZIA)
About this 6-K
Kazia Therapeutics Ltd filed this 6-K on January 18, 2024.
UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
Form 6-K
REPORT OF FOREIGN PRIVATE ISSUER
PURSUANT TO RULE 13a-16 OR 15d-16
UNDER THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
For the month of January, 2024
Commission File Number 000-29962
Kazia Therapeutics Limited
(Translation of registrant’s name into English)
Three International Towers Level 24 300 Barangaroo Avenue Sydney NSW 2000
(Address of principal executive office)
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant files or will file annual reports under cover of Form 20-F or Form 40-F.
Form 20-F ☒ Form 40-F ☐
Indicate by check mark if the registrant is submitting the Form 6-K in paper as permitted by Regulation S-T Rule 101(b)(1): ☐
Indicate by check mark if the registrant is submitting the Form 6-K in paper as permitted by Regulation S-T Rule 101(b)(7): ☐
INFORMATION CONTAINED IN THIS FORM 6-K REPORT
Appointment of Director
Appointment of Director; Appointment of Chairman
On January 15, 2024, the Board of Directors (the “Board”) of Kazia Therapeutics Limited (the “Company”) appointed Robert Apple to the Board. On January 18, 2024, the Company issued a Press Release titled, “Kazia Continues Board Renewal with Two New Appointments.” A copy of this release is furnished as Exhibit 99.1 and is incorporated herein by reference.
Mr. Apple brings more than 25 years of senior leadership experience in the pharma industry to the Company, including 16 years with Antares Pharma, Inc. (“Antares”), where he served as Senior Vice President, Chief Financial Officer, Corporate Secretary, President, and Chief Executive Officer. Prior to Antares, Mr. Apple was Chief Operating and Financial Officer at InKine Pharmaceutical Company. Mr. Apple served on the Board of Directors at Antares from 2016 until May 2022. Mr. Apple has also served on the Boards of, InKine Pharmaceutical, PaxMedica Inc, and Kerathin Inc. He also held prior roles at Genaera Corporation, Liberty Technologies, and Arthur Andersen & Company. Mr. Apple has a Bachelor of Accounting from Temple University, Philadelphia.
The Board also appointed Bryce Carmine to the role of Chairman of the Board, effective as of January 10, 2024.
Mr. Carmine joined the Board as a Director in 2015, following a long and distinguished career at Eli Lilly & Co. (“Lilly”) where he served as Executive Vice President, and also as President for Lilly Bio-Medicines. Prior to this, he led the Global Pharmaceutical Sales and Marketing division and was a member of the company’s Lilly’s Executive Committee. Mr. Carmine previously held a series of product development portfolio leadership roles at Lilly culminating when he was named President, Global Pharmaceutical Product Development, with responsibility for the entire late-phase pipeline development across all therapeutic areas for Lilly.
The Company hereby incorporates by reference the information contained herein, including Exhibit 99.1, except for the quotes of Dr. John Friend in Exhibit 99.1, into the Company’s registration statements on Form F-3 (File No. 333-259224 and 333-276091).
EXHIBIT LIST
| Exhibit | Description | |
| 99.1 | Press Release of Kazia Therapeutics Limited dated January 18, 2024 | |
SIGNATURE
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.
| Kazia Therapeutics Limited (Registrant) |
| /s/ John Friend |
| John Friend |
| Chief Executive Officer |
| Date: 18 January 2024 |
Exhibit 99.1
PRESS RELEASE
18 January 2024
KAZIA CONTINUES BOARD RENEWAL WITH TWO
NEW APPOINTMENTS
18 January 2024 – Kazia Therapeutics Limited (NASDAQ: KZIA), an oncology-focused drug development company, is pleased to announce the appointment of pharma industry executive, Mr. Robert Apple to Kazia’s Board of the Directors (the “Board”) as a Non-Executive Director.
Mr. Apple brings more than 25 years of senior leadership experience in the pharma industry to Kazia, including 16 years with Antares Pharma, Inc. (“Antares”) as Senior Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Corporate Secretary, and went on to serve as President and Chief Executive Officer from 2016 until its acquisition by Halozyme Therapeutics in 2022. Mr. Apple also served on the Board of Directors at Antares from 2016 until May 2022. He previously served on the Boards of Directors of InKine Pharmaceutical, PaxMedica Inc., and Kerathin Inc.
Prior to joining Antares, Mr. Apple served as Chief Operating and Financial Officer at InKine Pharmaceutical. He also held prior roles at Genaera Corporation, Liberty Technologies, and Arthur Andersen & Company. He holds a B.A. degree in accounting from Temple University, Philadelphia.
In a further renewal of the Board, Non-Executive Director Mr. Bryce Carmine has been appointed Chairman. Mr. Carmine joined the Kazia Board as a Director in 2015, following a long and distinguished career at Eli Lilly & Co. (“Lilly”) where he served as Executive Vice President, and also as President for Lilly Bio-Medicines. Prior to this, he led the Global Pharmaceutical Sales and Marketing division and was a member of the Lilly’s Executive Committee. Mr. Carmine previously held a series of product development portfolio leadership roles at Lilly culminating when he was named President, Global Pharmaceutical Product Development, with responsibility for the entire late-phase pipeline development across all therapeutic areas for Lilly.
Commenting on the Board appointments, Kazia’s CEO Dr. John Friend said: “We are delighted that Bryce has accepted the role of Chairman and that Bob has agreed to join the Board. With deep biopharmaceutical leadership experience across finance, business development, and commercial operations, Bob’s expertise and business acumen will be extremely valuable. His experience, combined with that of the other directors will ensure further oversight and stewardship of the Kazia business, as the Company is poised to enter its next phase of growth.”
Media Enquiries
Cherie Hartley
IR Department
Tel: +61 418 737 020
Email: Cherie.hartley@irdepartment.com.au
About Kazia Therapeutics Limited
Kazia Therapeutics Limited (NASDAQ: KZIA) 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 clinical activity in 2021, and a pivotal study, GBM AGILE, is completed, with final data expected in first half of CY2024. Other clinical trials are ongoing in brain metastases, DMGs, and primary CNS lymphoma, with several of these having reported encouraging interim data.
Paxalisib was granted Orphan Drug Designation for glioblastoma by the US Food and Drug Administration (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 tumors 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 tumor types and has provided evidence of synergy with immuno-oncology agents. A Phase I study in advanced solid tumors 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 Company’s corporate governance strategy, management team, and the timing or results of any clinical trials. 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 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 Annual Report, filed on form 20-F with the United States Securities and
Exchange Commission (“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.