Kazia Therapeutics Appoints James Levine as CFO
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Updated: Jun 02 2026
0mins
Kazia Therapeutics appointed James Levine as CFO, effective June 1. Most recently, Levine served as CFO of Cardiff Oncology, a clinical-stage oncology company developing a PLK1 inhibitor therapy for solid tumors. Prior to Cardiff Oncology, Levine served as CFO of Cidara Therapeutics, an antifungal and antiviral biotech company. He also served as CEO of Verenium Corporation. Earlier in his career, Levine spent 12 years at Goldman Sachs & Co. as a Managing Director advising pharmaceutical and biotech clients.
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Analyst Views on KZIA
Wall Street analysts forecast KZIA stock price to rise
2 Analyst Rating
2 Buy
0 Hold
0 Sell
Moderate Buy
Current: 14.250
Low
18.00
Averages
19.00
High
20.00
Current: 14.250
Low
18.00
Averages
19.00
High
20.00
About KZIA
Kazia Therapeutics Limited is an Australia-based pharmaceutical drug development company. The Company operates in the pharmaceutical research and development business. The Company’s lead program is paxalisib, an investigational brain-penetrant inhibitor of the PI3K / Akt / mTOR pathway, which is being developed to treat multiple forms of brain cancer. It is also developing EVT801, a small-molecule inhibitor of VEGFR3, which is critical to the development of new blood vessels and lymphatic vessels in a growing tumor, as well as to the metastasis of tumors to distant sites in the body. It designed paxalisib to inhibit PI3K, a critical control mechanism in growth and cell division, which is activated in many forms of cancer. The Company’s drug candidates are designed to treat diseases, such as brain cancer, renal cancer, and liver cancer.
About the author
Emily J. Thompson
Emily J. Thompson, a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) with 12 years in investment research, graduated with honors from the Wharton School. Specializing in industrial and technology stocks, she provides in-depth analysis for Intellectia’s earnings and market brief reports.
Challenges and Opportunities in Neuro-Oncology
- Treatment Challenges: Despite significant advancements in cancer treatment over the past two decades, glioblastoma remains one of the deadliest cancers, with patients facing limited treatment options and poor long-term survival rates, highlighting a substantial unmet need in the field.
- NeOnc Technologies Progress: NeOnc Technologies is focused on developing therapies for central nervous system cancers, including NEO100 and NEO212, aimed at addressing significant unmet needs in neuro-oncology, attracting Wall Street attention and strong ratings from analysts.
- Investor Confidence: NeOnc's CEO has purchased over $500,000 in shares recently, with cumulative insider purchases approaching $1 million over the past year, demonstrating strong confidence in the company's future development.
- Industry Trends: As interest in novel drug delivery mechanisms grows, companies like Kazia Therapeutics and BioNTech are actively exploring treatment options for glioblastoma, indicating a rising investment and research momentum in this area.
See More
Kazia Therapeutics Appoints New CFO James Levine
- Executive Appointment: Kazia Therapeutics appointed James Levine as Chief Financial Officer effective June 1, 2026, bringing over 20 years of investment banking and financial leadership experience in the biotech sector, which will be crucial as the company advances paxalisib and its pipeline.
- Financial Strategy Expertise: Levine previously served as CFO of Cardiff Oncology, where he led a $568 million licensing collaboration with Mundipharma and a $780 million global partnership with Johnson & Johnson, indicating that his success in large transactions will add strategic value to Kazia.
- Clinical Progress: Kazia's lead asset, paxalisib, is undergoing multiple clinical trials, including a Phase 2/3 study for glioblastoma, which is expected to yield significant clinical and strategic milestones, with Levine's expertise likely accelerating this process.
- Market Potential: With paxalisib receiving FDA Orphan Drug and Fast Track Designations, Kazia's market potential in cancer treatment continues to expand, and Levine's financial leadership is expected to help the company achieve long-term growth in this rapidly evolving market.
See More
Kazia Therapeutics Appoints New CFO to Drive Financial Strategy
- Executive Appointment: Kazia Therapeutics appointed James Levine as CFO effective June 1, 2026, bringing over 20 years of investment banking and financial leadership experience in biotech, which will support the company's advancement of paxalisib.
- Financial Leadership Experience: Levine previously served as CFO at Cardiff Oncology, where he led a $568 million licensing collaboration with Mundipharma and a $780 million global partnership with Johnson & Johnson, showcasing his success in large transactions that could add value to Kazia.
- Strategic Goals: Levine expressed excitement about collaborating closely with the management team to translate Kazia's scientific progress into strategic and financial outcomes, particularly during the upcoming period of clinical and strategic milestones, highlighting his confidence in the company's future.
- Pipeline Progress: Kazia is advancing multiple clinical trials for paxalisib, which has received FDA orphan drug and fast track designations, and Levine's addition is expected to accelerate these projects, enhancing the company's competitiveness in cancer treatment.
See More
Kazia Plans to Increase Patient Enrollment in Clinical Trial
- Patient Enrollment Expansion: Kazia Therapeutics announced plans to increase patient enrollment in its Phase 1b clinical trial for advanced triple-negative breast cancer from 12 to 36, aiming to further evaluate the safety and tolerability of paxalisib in combination with standard therapies, thereby providing more effective treatment options for hard-to-treat cancer patients.
- Clinical Data Support: Based on the encouraging safety and tolerability data observed to date, Kazia plans to optimize dosing and preliminary efficacy assessments through this expanded sample size, which is expected to yield more meaningful objective response rates and progression-free survival data, further advancing the company's research in oncology.
- Scientific Progress Presentation: Although the company planned to present scientific progress at ASCO 2026, it decided to withdraw abstracts to protect its intellectual property, indicating a strong emphasis on IP protection while reflecting strategic considerations in its clinical research.
- Future Outlook: Kazia anticipates sharing additional clinical and translational updates throughout 2026 and into 2027, further solidifying its market position in cancer treatment, particularly regarding the potential of paxalisib in addressing the challenges of treating advanced triple-negative breast cancer.
See More
Kazia Appoints New Chief Scientific Officer
- Executive Appointment: Kazia Therapeutics has appointed Dr. Sudha Rao as Chief Scientific Officer, bringing over 20 years of expertise in translational epigenetics and clinical development, which will enhance the execution of the company's oncology platform strategy.
- R&D Leadership: Dr. Rao will lead all research and development activities, advancing the company's drug pipeline, particularly focusing on paxalisib targeting the PI3K/mTOR pathway, aiming to enhance precision medicine capabilities and accelerate novel therapy development.
- Patents and Innovation: As the lead inventor on 39 international patents, Dr. Rao's scientific contributions have laid the groundwork for Kazia's strategy, particularly in epigenetic reprogramming, driving innovation in cancer treatment.
- Market Potential: Kazia's paxalisib has received FDA orphan drug and fast track designations and is undergoing multiple clinical trials, demonstrating potential in treating various cancers, with Dr. Rao's addition expected to further strengthen the company's market competitiveness.
See More
Kazia Acquires SETDB1-Targeted Drug Development Platform
- Innovative Drug Platform: Kazia Therapeutics has in-licensed a first-in-class SETDB1-targeted epigenetic drug development platform from QIMR Berghofer, utilizing an AI-integrated drug discovery engine to accelerate candidate generation, which is expected to significantly enhance the company's competitiveness in the tumor immunotherapy sector.
- Lead Drug Candidate: The lead candidate MSETC is a highly selective bicyclic peptide designed to target the disease-associated SETDB1 complex, aiming to restore immune signaling in tumors resistant to immunotherapy, potentially improving outcomes for patients with various cancers.
- Significant Market Potential: The global epigenetic therapeutics market is estimated to generate annual revenues between $15 billion and $20 billion, and Kazia's SETDB1 program addresses a major unmet need in treatment-refractory cancers, which could yield substantial market share and revenue growth for the company.
- Clear Development Path: Kazia plans to advance the SETDB1 program to IND readiness within 18 months at an estimated cost of $6 million, leveraging shared CRO resources and coordinated study designs, which is expected to achieve significant execution efficiencies and strengthen the company's strategic position in cancer treatment.
See More
Challenges and Opportunities in Neuro-Oncology
- Treatment Challenges: Despite significant advancements in cancer treatment over the past two decades, glioblastoma remains one of the deadliest cancers, with patients facing limited treatment options and poor long-term survival rates, highlighting a substantial unmet need in the field.
- NeOnc Technologies Progress: NeOnc Technologies is focused on developing therapies for central nervous system cancers, including NEO100 and NEO212, aimed at addressing significant unmet needs in neuro-oncology, attracting Wall Street attention and strong ratings from analysts.
- Investor Confidence: NeOnc's CEO has purchased over $500,000 in shares recently, with cumulative insider purchases approaching $1 million over the past year, demonstrating strong confidence in the company's future development.
- Industry Trends: As interest in novel drug delivery mechanisms grows, companies like Kazia Therapeutics and BioNTech are actively exploring treatment options for glioblastoma, indicating a rising investment and research momentum in this area.
See More
Kazia Therapeutics Appoints New CFO James Levine
- Executive Appointment: Kazia Therapeutics appointed James Levine as Chief Financial Officer effective June 1, 2026, bringing over 20 years of investment banking and financial leadership experience in the biotech sector, which will be crucial as the company advances paxalisib and its pipeline.
- Financial Strategy Expertise: Levine previously served as CFO of Cardiff Oncology, where he led a $568 million licensing collaboration with Mundipharma and a $780 million global partnership with Johnson & Johnson, indicating that his success in large transactions will add strategic value to Kazia.
- Clinical Progress: Kazia's lead asset, paxalisib, is undergoing multiple clinical trials, including a Phase 2/3 study for glioblastoma, which is expected to yield significant clinical and strategic milestones, with Levine's expertise likely accelerating this process.
- Market Potential: With paxalisib receiving FDA Orphan Drug and Fast Track Designations, Kazia's market potential in cancer treatment continues to expand, and Levine's financial leadership is expected to help the company achieve long-term growth in this rapidly evolving market.
See More
Kazia Therapeutics Appoints New CFO to Drive Financial Strategy
- Executive Appointment: Kazia Therapeutics appointed James Levine as CFO effective June 1, 2026, bringing over 20 years of investment banking and financial leadership experience in biotech, which will support the company's advancement of paxalisib.
- Financial Leadership Experience: Levine previously served as CFO at Cardiff Oncology, where he led a $568 million licensing collaboration with Mundipharma and a $780 million global partnership with Johnson & Johnson, showcasing his success in large transactions that could add value to Kazia.
- Strategic Goals: Levine expressed excitement about collaborating closely with the management team to translate Kazia's scientific progress into strategic and financial outcomes, particularly during the upcoming period of clinical and strategic milestones, highlighting his confidence in the company's future.
- Pipeline Progress: Kazia is advancing multiple clinical trials for paxalisib, which has received FDA orphan drug and fast track designations, and Levine's addition is expected to accelerate these projects, enhancing the company's competitiveness in cancer treatment.
See More
Kazia Plans to Increase Patient Enrollment in Clinical Trial
- Patient Enrollment Expansion: Kazia Therapeutics announced plans to increase patient enrollment in its Phase 1b clinical trial for advanced triple-negative breast cancer from 12 to 36, aiming to further evaluate the safety and tolerability of paxalisib in combination with standard therapies, thereby providing more effective treatment options for hard-to-treat cancer patients.
- Clinical Data Support: Based on the encouraging safety and tolerability data observed to date, Kazia plans to optimize dosing and preliminary efficacy assessments through this expanded sample size, which is expected to yield more meaningful objective response rates and progression-free survival data, further advancing the company's research in oncology.
- Scientific Progress Presentation: Although the company planned to present scientific progress at ASCO 2026, it decided to withdraw abstracts to protect its intellectual property, indicating a strong emphasis on IP protection while reflecting strategic considerations in its clinical research.
- Future Outlook: Kazia anticipates sharing additional clinical and translational updates throughout 2026 and into 2027, further solidifying its market position in cancer treatment, particularly regarding the potential of paxalisib in addressing the challenges of treating advanced triple-negative breast cancer.
See More
Kazia Appoints New Chief Scientific Officer
- Executive Appointment: Kazia Therapeutics has appointed Dr. Sudha Rao as Chief Scientific Officer, bringing over 20 years of expertise in translational epigenetics and clinical development, which will enhance the execution of the company's oncology platform strategy.
- R&D Leadership: Dr. Rao will lead all research and development activities, advancing the company's drug pipeline, particularly focusing on paxalisib targeting the PI3K/mTOR pathway, aiming to enhance precision medicine capabilities and accelerate novel therapy development.
- Patents and Innovation: As the lead inventor on 39 international patents, Dr. Rao's scientific contributions have laid the groundwork for Kazia's strategy, particularly in epigenetic reprogramming, driving innovation in cancer treatment.
- Market Potential: Kazia's paxalisib has received FDA orphan drug and fast track designations and is undergoing multiple clinical trials, demonstrating potential in treating various cancers, with Dr. Rao's addition expected to further strengthen the company's market competitiveness.
See More
Kazia Acquires SETDB1-Targeted Drug Development Platform
- Innovative Drug Platform: Kazia Therapeutics has in-licensed a first-in-class SETDB1-targeted epigenetic drug development platform from QIMR Berghofer, utilizing an AI-integrated drug discovery engine to accelerate candidate generation, which is expected to significantly enhance the company's competitiveness in the tumor immunotherapy sector.
- Lead Drug Candidate: The lead candidate MSETC is a highly selective bicyclic peptide designed to target the disease-associated SETDB1 complex, aiming to restore immune signaling in tumors resistant to immunotherapy, potentially improving outcomes for patients with various cancers.
- Significant Market Potential: The global epigenetic therapeutics market is estimated to generate annual revenues between $15 billion and $20 billion, and Kazia's SETDB1 program addresses a major unmet need in treatment-refractory cancers, which could yield substantial market share and revenue growth for the company.
- Clear Development Path: Kazia plans to advance the SETDB1 program to IND readiness within 18 months at an estimated cost of $6 million, leveraging shared CRO resources and coordinated study designs, which is expected to achieve significant execution efficiencies and strengthen the company's strategic position in cancer treatment.
See More
