Kazia Therapeutics Soars 74.8% on Promising Cancer Trial Results

Kazia Therapeutics' stock surged 74.8% in pre-market trading on July 9, 2025, marking a significant rise that has captured the attention of investors and analysts alike.

Kazia Therapeutics has recently reported encouraging early results from its Phase 1b trial, which combines Paxalisib with pembrolizumab and standard chemotherapy. The trial's first patient, a 61-year-old woman with metastatic triple-negative breast cancer, showed a greater than 50% reduction in circulating tumor cells (CTCs) after just 21 days of treatment. This reduction includes both single CTCs and CTC clusters, which are known to be more efficient at seeding metastases. The treatment also reduced the mesenchymal phenotype of remaining CTCs, a characteristic associated with aggressive cancer cells. These findings align with preclinical data published in Molecular Cancer Therapeutics, suggesting potential effectiveness against metastatic spread.

The trial continues to enroll patients to assess safety, tolerability, and pharmacodynamics. While the data is promising, it is important to note that these results are from a single patient, and further trials are needed to confirm these findings. The reduction in CTC clusters is particularly significant, as these clusters are 20-100 times more efficient at seeding metastases than individual CTCs. The rapid reduction in both metrics suggests potential mechanistic synergy between Paxalisib and pembrolizumab. However, the true test will be radiographic responses and longer-term outcomes as the trial progresses.