Full Press Release Details
| Name of entity: | Kazia Therapeutics Limited | |
| ABN: | 37 063 259 754 | |
| Reporting period: | For the half-year ended 31 December 2022 | |
| Previous period: | For the half-year ended 31 December 2021 |
2. Results for announcement to the market
| $ | ||||||||||||||
| Loss from ordinary activities after tax attributable to the owners of Kazia Therapeutics Limited | up | 2.9 | % | to | (13,586,027 | ) | ||||||||
| Loss for the half-year attributable to the owners of Kazia Therapeutics Limited | up | 2.9 | % | to | (13,586,027 | ) |
There were no dividends paid, recommended or declared during the current financial period.
The loss for the consolidated entity after providing for income tax amounted to $13,586,027 (31 December 2021 restated: $13,201,848).
The Company has no operating revenue. Operating expenses for the half year ended 31 December 2022 amounted to $4,276,514 (31 December 2021 restated: $2,482,582).
The loss for the half year ended 31 December 2022 includes Research and Development spending of $9,359,972 compared with $10,988,075 for the half year ended 31 December 2021 restated.
The consolidated entity's current assets at 31 December 2022 were $5,916,208 (June 2022 restated: $7,608,240), with current liabilities of $5,582,379 (June 2022 restated: $4,685,156).
3. Net tangible assets
| Reporting period Cents | Previous period Cents Restated* | |||||||
| Net tangible assets per ordinary security | (4.05 | ) | (0.62 | ) |
4. Control gained over entities
5. Loss of control over entities
There were no dividends paid, recommended or declared during the current financial period.
There were no dividends paid, recommended or declared during the previous financial period.
7. Dividend reinvestment plans
8. Details of associates and joint venture entities
Details of origin of accounting standards used in compiling the report:
10. Audit qualification or review
Details of audit/review dispute or qualification (if any):
The financial statements were subject to a review by the auditors and the review report is attached as part of the Half Yearly Report.
Details of attachments (if any):
The Half Yearly Report of Kazia Therapeutics Limited for the half-year
ended 31 December 2022 is attached.
Kazia Therapeutics Limited
Half Yearly Report - 31 December 2022
The directors present their report, together with the financial statements, on the consolidated entity (referred to hereafter as the consolidated entity') consisting of Kazia Therapeutics Limited (referred to hereafter as the company' or parent entity') and the entities it controlled at the end of, or during, the half-year
ended 31 December 2022.
The following persons were directors of Kazia Therapeutics Limited during the whole of the financial year and up to the date of this report, unless otherwise stated:
Principal activities
During the financial year the principal continuing activity of the consolidated entity consisted of pharmaceutical research and development.
Review of operations
The loss for the consolidated entity after providing for income tax amounted to $13,586,027 (31 December 2021 restated: $13,201,848).
The attached financial statements detail the performance and financial position of the consolidated entity for the half-year ended 31 December 2022.
At 31 December 2022, the consolidated entity had total funds of $4,390,523 comprising cash in hand and at bank.
Research and development report
The lead R&D program for the consolidated entity is paxalisib (formerly known as GDC-0084), a small-molecule dual inhibitor of the phosphatidylinositide 3-kinase (PI3K) pathway and the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR), which was licensed from Genentech, Inc. in October 2016. The development candidate is distinguished from the majority of molecules in this class by its ability to cross to the blood-brain barrier, which has been demonstrated in multiple animal species and confirmed in human data.
Paxalisib is protected by granted or pending composition-of-matter patents in all commercially relevant territories. Loss of exclusivity varies between territories, but is no earlier than 2030 in any territory. Paxalisib was granted Orphan Drug Designation (ODD) for glioblastoma by the US FDA in February 2018, and for the broader indication of glioma in August 2020. Paxalisib was granted Rare Pediatric Disease Designation (RPDD) for certain forms of childhood brain cancer by the US FDA in August 2020, and was also granted Fast Track Designation for glioblastoma in August 2020. In addition, paxalisib was granted ODD by the US FDA for the treatment of atypical rhabdoid/teratoid tumours (AT/RT), a rare pediatric brain cancer, in June 2022 and RPDD in July 2022. Paxalisib was also granted Fast Track Designation for glioblastoma in August 2020. Collectively, these special designations provide paxalisib with enhanced access to the FDA, a waiver of PDUFA fees, a period of data exclusivity and, in the specific cases of RPDD, the potential to secure a pediatric Priority Review Voucher (pPRV) should paxalisib be approved in either of these indications.
Paxalisib has completed a 47-patient phase I clinical study under Genentech in patients with progressive or recurrent high grade glioma (NCT01547546), which showed the drug to be generally safe and well-tolerated, and which provided pharmacodynamic proof of concept and signals of potential clinical activity. This study was published in Clinical Cancer Research
, and a companion paper detailing a post hoc analysis of imaging data from the study has been published in the same journal.
Kazia has completed a phase II clinical trial of paxalisib in newly diagnosed glioblastoma patients with unmethylated MGMT promotor status (NCT03522298), which is expected to be the primarily target population at commercial launch. This study has confirmed the safety profile and pharmacokinetic parameters of the drug in this specific population, and has provided convincing signals of clinical efficacy. Final data from the completed phase ll study of paxalisib was presented at several neuro-oncology and medical oncology conferences. The key findings included a median overall survival of 15.7 months, which compares favorably to the figure of 12.7 months that has been reported for temolozolomide, the existing standard of care.
In October 2020, the company executed a definitive agreement with the Global Coalition for Adaptive Research (GCAR) to introduce paxalisib into the ongoing adaptive platform study, GBM AGILE (NCT03970447). This study is designed to provide substantial evidence for approval of new drugs in glioblastoma, and is intended to serve as the pivotal study for paxalisib in US, EU, and other markets. The first patient recruited by a site opened to the paxalisib arm occurred on 7 January 2021. In November 2021, the study opened to recruitment in Canada. Expansion to several countries in Europe was completed during CY2022. Final data from the GBM AGILE study is anticipated during 2H CY2023.
On 1 August 2022, the company announced that it had been informed by GCAR that the paxalisib arm had not graduated to the second stage of the GBM AGILE study, and that recruitment had therefore completed with approximately 150 patients enrolled to the first stage. Those patients remain ongoing, with final data anticipated in 2H CY2023. The interim graduation' analysis may have been affected by the rapid and back-loaded recruitment profile of the study, and does not preclude a positive outcome in the final data.
Seven investigator-initiated studies continued to progress during the period: a phase I study with paxalisib in diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma (DIPG) at St Jude Children's Research Hospital in Memphis, TN (NCT03696355), a phase ll study in DIPG and other diffuse midline pediatric gliomas run by the Pacific Pediatric Neuro-Oncology Consortium (PNOC) (NCT05009992) (see description below), a phase II study with paxalisib in HER2+ breast cancer brain metastases at Dana-Farber
Cancer Institute in Boston, MA (NCT03765983), a phase II multi-drug, genomically-guided study in brain metastases run by the Alliance for Clinical Trials in Oncology (NCT03994796), a phase I study with paxalisib in combination with radiotherapy for brain metastases at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York, NY (NCT04192981), a phase II study with paxalisib in primary CNS lymphoma at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston, MA(NCT04906096), and a phase ll study in glioblastoma with ketogenesis run by Weill Cornell Medicine (NCT05183204).
The investigator-initiated PNOC study is a phase II multi-arm study, which includes several combinations of paxalisib with ONC201 (Chimerix, Inc), in paediatric patients with diffuse midline gliomas, including DIPG (NCT05009992). This study is run by the Pacific Pediatric Neuro-Oncology Consortium (PNOC), based at the University of California, San Francisco. In October 2022, the Company announced the expansion of the PNOC022 study to Australia and additional sites in Israel, the Netherlands, and Switzerland. The study is currently open to recruitment at 22 sites globally.
In August 2022, the Company announced the presentation of promising new data from an ongoing phase l study of paxalisib in combination with radiotherapy for the treatment of brain metastases, sponsored by Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York, NY. Interim data from the first stage of the study was presented during an oral presentation at an international neuro-oncology conference on CNS clinical trials and brain metastases. The data reported in the initial exploratory stage that of the 9 patients evaluated for efficacy, all 9 patients exhibited complete or partial response, according to RANO-BM criteria, with breast cancer representing the most common primary tumour. Recruitment to the expansion stage has commenced, with the objective of recruiting an additional 12 patients.
In the context of a previously declared strategy to explore the use of paxalisib in cancers outside the central nervous system, the Company has entered into a number of research collaborations with leading cancer centers. In October 2022, such a collaboration at the Huntsman Cancer Center at the University of Utah presented preclinical data for paxalisib in melanoma at a conference for melanoma research in Edinburgh, Scotland. The data, summarized in a poster presentation, demonstrated potent single agent activity for paxalisib, as well as synergy with BRAF and MEK inhibitors, which are standard of care therapies in this disease.
In December 2022, the Company announced the existence of a research collaboration with the Queensland Institute of Medical Research, to explore the use of paxalisib as an immodulator in the treatment of solid tumours. This work potentially identifies a novel mechanism of action for the drug, and consequently has been patented to secure novel intellectual property. Potentially, the project may support use of the drug in combination with immuno-oncology therapies.
The company's second R&D program is EVT801, a small-molecule selective inhibitor of vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 3 (VEGFR3), which was licensed from Evotec SE in April 2021. The development candidate exhibits a very high degree of selectivity for VEGFR3 over other protein kinases, and this is expected to be associated with a favourable toxicity profile in the clinic and, potentially, a lesser propensity for secondary resistance.
In November 2021, the company commenced recruitment to a phase I multiple-ascending dose study of EVT801 in patients with advanced cancer (NCT05114668). This study is designed to provide information on the safety, tolerability, and pharmacokinetics of EVT801 in humans, and to establish the maximum tolerated dose for future studies. The study also includes a rich suite of translational biomarkers which will provide detailed information about the pharmacological activity of the drug. The study is ongoing at two sites in France, with initial data anticipated in CY2023.
In December 2022, scientists working for and with Evotec SE, the Company's licensing partner for EVT801, published a summary of their preclinical research on the drug in the cancer journal, Cancer Research Communications. The paper outlines the substantial body of evidence supporting the activity of EVT801 as an anti-cancer therapy, and includes comparative data against several approved therapies with similar mechanisms of action. The paper also presents combination data with several immuno-oncology agents showing evidence of synergy.
Significant changes in the state of affairs
There were no significant changes in the state of affairs of the consolidated entity during the financial half-year.
Matters subsequent to the end of the financial half-year
On 3 January 2023 a deposit of US$428,096 was received from Labcorp Early Development Laboratories Inc. representing the refund due on the completion of the Paxalisib Phase II trial.
On 16 January 2023 Kazia announced a placement to professional and sophisticated investors and the launch of an associated Share Purchase Plan for eligible shareholders. The placement of A$4,500,000, comprised of an unconditional placement of A$2,792,572 at $0.11 per share; and a conditional placement of A$1,707,428 at $0.11 per share, and was approved by shareholders at the Extraordinary General Meeting on 24 February 2023. Each placement was made to professional and sophisticated investors. The Placement was not underwritten. In addition, eligible shareholders were offered the opportunity to acquire up to A$30,000 of new shares through a Share Purchase Plan (SPP). All new shares issued under the Placement and the SPP ranked equally with the existing ordinary shares. Funding will be used to drive Kazia's clinical program toward several critical inflection points through CY2023, including the final data read out on the paxalisib GBM AGILE study and for general working capital purposes. Funds raised by the SPP totalled A$2,606,000.
No other matter or circumstance has arisen since 31 December 2022 that has significantly affected, or may significantly affect the consolidated entity's operations, the results of those operations, or the consolidated entity's state of affairs in future financial years.
Auditor's independence declaration
A copy of the auditor's independence declaration as required under section 307C of the Corporations Act 2001 is set out immediately after this directors' report.
This report is made in accordance with a resolution of Directors, pursuant to section 298(2)(a) of the Corporations Act 2001.
On behalf of the Directors
| /s/ Iain Ross | ||||
| Iain Ross | ||||
| Chairman | ||||
| 28 February 2023 | ||||
| Sydney |
DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE BY GARETH FEW TO THE DIRECTORS OF KAZIA THERAPEUTICS LIMITED
As lead auditor for the review of Kazia Therapeutics Limited for the half-year ended 31 December 2022, I declare that, to the best of my knowledge and belief, there have been:
This declaration is in respect of Kazia Therapeutics Limited and the entities it controlled during the period.
BDO Audit Pty Ltd ABN 33 134 022 870 is a member of a national association of independent entities which are all members of BDO Australia Ltd ABN 77 050 110 275, an Australian company limited by guarantee. BDO Audit Pty Ltd and BDO Australia Ltd are members of BDO International Ltd, a UK company limited by guarantee, and form part of the international BDO network of independent member firms. Liability limited by a scheme approved under Professional Standards Legislation.
| Statement of profit or loss and other comprehensive income | 7 | |||
| Statement of financial position | 8 | |||
| Statement of changes in equity | 9 | |||
| Statement of cash flows | 11 | |||
| Notes to the financial statements | 12 | |||
| Directors' declaration | 22 | |||
| Independent auditor's review report to the members of Kazia Therapeutics Limited | 23 |
The financial statements cover Kazia Therapeutics Limited as a consolidated entity consisting of Kazia Therapeutics Limited and the entities it controlled at the end of, or during, the half-year. The financial statements are presented in Australian dollars, which is Kazia Therapeutics Limited's functional and presentation currency.
Kazia Therapeutics Limited is a listed public company limited by shares, incorporated and domiciled in Australia. Its registered office and principal place of business is:
Three International Towers
Level 24, 300 Barangaroo Avenue
A description of the nature of the consolidated entity's operations and its principal activities are included in the directors' report, which is not part of the financial statements.
The financial statements were authorised for issue, in accordance with a resolution of directors, on 28 February 2023.
| Consolidated | ||||||||||||
| Note | December 2022 | December 2021 Restated * | ||||||||||
| $ | $ | |||||||||||
| Revenue and other income | ||||||||||||
| Other income | 5 | - | 24,956 | |||||||||
| Finance Income | 139 | 1,989 | ||||||||||
| Expenses | ||||||||||||
| Research and development expense | ( 9,359,972 | ) | ( 10,988,075 | ) | ||||||||
| General and administrative expense | ( 4,276,514 | ) | ( 2,482,582 | ) | ||||||||
| Loss on revaluation of contingent consideration | ( 85,226 | ) | ( 74,110 | ) | ||||||||
| Loss before income tax benefit | ( 13,721,573 | ) | ( 13,517,822 | ) | ||||||||
| Income tax benefit | 135,546 | 315,974 | ||||||||||
| Loss after income tax benefit for the half-year attributable to the owners of Kazia Therapeutics Limited | ( 13,586,027 | ) | ( 13,201,848 | ) | ||||||||
| Other comprehensive income | ||||||||||||
| Items that may be reclassified subsequently to profit or loss | ||||||||||||
| Net exchange difference on translation of financial statements of foreign controlled entities, net of tax | 86,494 | 6,946 | ||||||||||
| Other comprehensive income for the half-year, net of tax | 86,494 | 6,946 | ||||||||||
| Total comprehensive income for the half-year attributable to the owners of Kazia Therapeutics Limited | ( 13,499,533 | ) | ( 13,194,902 | ) | ||||||||
| * The comparative information has been restated as a result of the prior period error discussed in note 3. | ||||||||||||
| Cents | Cents | |||||||||||
| Basic earnings per share | 20 | ( 9.327 | ) | ( 10.000 | ) | |||||||
| Diluted earnings per share | 20 | ( 9.327 | ) | ( 10.000 | ) |
The above statement of profit or loss and other comprehensive income should be read in conjunction with the accompanying notes
| Consolidated | ||||||||||||
| Note | December 2022 | June 2022 Restated * | ||||||||||
| $ | $ | |||||||||||
| Assets | ||||||||||||
| Current assets | ||||||||||||
| Cash and cash equivalents | 7 | 4,390,523 | 7,361,112 | |||||||||
| Trade and other receivables | 8 | 741,128 | 90,975 | |||||||||
| Other assets | 9 | 784,557 | 156,153 | |||||||||
| Total current assets | 5,916,208 | 7,608,240 | ||||||||||
| Non-current assets | ||||||||||||
| Intangibles | 10 | 18,204,147 | 19,138,858 | |||||||||
| Trade and other receivables | 11 | 3,715,248 | 7,300,870 | |||||||||
| Total non-current assets | 21,919,395 | 26,439,728 | ||||||||||
| Total assets | 27,835,603 | 34,047,968 | ||||||||||
| Liabilities | ||||||||||||
| Current liabilities | ||||||||||||
| Trade and other payables | 12 | 3,148,768 | 3,760,120 | |||||||||
| Borrowings | 13 | 552,315 | - | |||||||||
| Employee benefits | 442,835 | 166,196 | ||||||||||
| Contingent consideration | 14 | 1,438,461 | 758,840 | |||||||||
| Total current liabilities | 5,582,379 | 4,685,156 | ||||||||||
| Non-current liabilities | ||||||||||||
| Deferred tax | 15 | 2,424,815 | 2,560,361 | |||||||||
| Employee benefits | 126,907 | 318,983 | ||||||||||
| Contingent consideration | 16 | 8,118,317 | 8,208,945 | |||||||||
| Total non-current liabilities | 10,670,039 | 11,088,289 | ||||||||||
| Total liabilities | 16,252,418 | 15,773,445 | ||||||||||
| Net assets | 11,583,185 | 18,274,523 | ||||||||||
| Equity | ||||||||||||
| Contributed equity | 17 | 90,343,718 | 84,480,249 | |||||||||
| Reserves | 3,439,399 | 2,411,665 | ||||||||||
| Accumulated losses | ( 82,199,932 | ) | ( 68,617,391 | ) | ||||||||
| Total equity | 11,583,185 | 18,274,523 |
The above statement of financial position should be read in conjunction with the accompanying notes
| Issued capital | Other contributed equity | Share based payment reserve | Foreign currency translation reserve | Accumulated losses | Total equity | |||||||||||||||||||
| Consolidated | $ | $ | $ | $ | $ | $ | ||||||||||||||||||
| Balance at 1 July 2021 | 80,290,062 | 464,000 | 1,753,886 | ( 453,320 | ) | ( 44,203,909 | ) | 37,850,719 | ||||||||||||||||
| Adjustment for correction of error (note 3) | - | - | - | - | 2,476 | 2,476 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Balance at 1 July 2021 - restated | 80,290,062 | 464,000 | 1,753,886 | ( 453,320 | ) | ( 44,201,433 | ) | 37,853,195 | ||||||||||||||||
| Loss after income tax benefit for the half-year | - | - | - | - | ( 13,201,848 | ) | ( 13,201,848 | ) | ||||||||||||||||
| Other comprehensive income for the half-year, net of tax | - | - | - | 6,946 | - | 6,946 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Total comprehensive income for the half-year | - | - | - | 6,946 | ( 13,201,848 | ) | ( 13,194,902 | ) | ||||||||||||||||
| Transactions with owners in their capacity as owners: | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Immaterial reclassification | - | - | - | ( 433,333 | ) | 433,333 | - | |||||||||||||||||
| Exercise of options | 16,700 | - | ( 5,622 | ) | - | 5,622 | 16,700 | |||||||||||||||||
| Employee share-based payment options - expired | - | - | ( 159,142 | ) | - | 159,142 | - | |||||||||||||||||
| Employee share-based payment options | - | - | 640,906 | - | - | 640,906 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Balance at 31 December 2021 | 80,306,762 | 464,000 | 2,230,028 | ( 879,707 | ) | ( 56,805,184 | ) | 25,315,899 |
The comparative information has been restated as a result of prior period error as discussed in note 3.
The above statement of changes in equity should be read in conjunction with the accompanying notes
| Issued capital | Other contributed equity | Share based payment reserve | Foreign currency translation reserve | Accumulated losses | Total equity | |||||||||||||||||||
| Consolidated | $ | $ | $ | $ | $ | $ | ||||||||||||||||||
| Balance at 1 July 2022 | 84,480,249 | - | 3,263,703 | ( 852,038 | ) | ( 68,253,627 | ) | 18,638,287 | ||||||||||||||||
| Adjustment for correction of error (note 3) | - | - | - | - | ( 363,764 | ) | ( 363,764 | ) | ||||||||||||||||
| Balance at 1 July 2022 - restated | 84,480,249 | - | 3,263,703 | ( 852,038 | ) | ( 68,617,391 | ) | 18,274,523 | ||||||||||||||||
| Loss after income tax benefit for the half-year | - | - | - | - | ( 13,586,027 | ) | ( 13,586,027 | ) | ||||||||||||||||
| Other comprehensive income for the half-year, net of tax | - | - | - | 86,494 | - | 86,494 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Total comprehensive income for the half-year | - | - | - | 86,494 | ( 13,586,027 | ) | ( 13,499,533 | ) | ||||||||||||||||
| Issue of shares | 6,263,986 | - | - | - | - | 6,263,986 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Share issue costs | - | ( 400,517 | ) | - | - | - | ( 400,517 | ) | ||||||||||||||||
| Transactions with owners in their capacity as owners: | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Employee share-based payment options - expired | - | - | ( 3,486 | ) | - | 3,486 | - | |||||||||||||||||
| Employee share-based payment options | - | - | 944,726 | - | - | 944,726 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Balance at 31 December 2022 | 90,744,235 | ( 400,517 | ) | 4,204,943 | ( 765,544 | ) | ( 82,199,932 | ) | 11,583,185 |
The comparative information has been restated as a result of prior period error as discussed in note 3.
The above statement of changes in equity should be read in conjunction with the accompanying notes
| Consolidated | ||||||||||||
| Note | December 2022 | December 2021 | ||||||||||
| $ | $ | |||||||||||
| Cash flows from operating activities | ||||||||||||
| Payments to suppliers (inclusive of GST) | ( 8,806,148 | ) | ( 11,391,410 | ) | ||||||||
| Net cash used in operating activities | 21 | ( 8,806,148 | ) | ( 11,391,410 | ) | |||||||
| Cash flows from investing activities | ||||||||||||
| Payment of milestone relating to contingent consideration | 16 | - | ( 1,582,278 | ) | ||||||||
| Net cash used in investing activities | - | ( 1,582,278 | ) | |||||||||
| Cash flows from financing activities | ||||||||||||
| Proceeds from issue of shares (net of costs) | 17 | 5,850,869 | 16,700 | |||||||||
| Net cash from financing activities | 5,850,869 | 16,700 | ||||||||||
| Net decrease in cash and cash equivalents | ( 2,955,279 | ) | ( 12,956,988 | ) | ||||||||
| Cash and cash equivalents at the beginning of the financial half-year | 7,361,112 | 27,586,760 | ||||||||||
| Effects of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents | ( 15,310 | ) | 559,185 | |||||||||
| Cash and cash equivalents at the end of the financial half-year | 7 | 4,390,523 | 15,188,957 |
The above statement of cash flows should be read in conjunction with the accompanying notes
Note 1. Significant accounting policies
These general purpose financial statements for the interim half-year
reporting period ended 31 December 2022 have been prepared in accordance with Australian Accounting Standard AASB 134 Interim Financial Reporting' and the Corporations Act 2001, as appropriate for for-profit oriented entities. Compliance with AASB 134 ensures compliance with International Financial Reporting Standard IAS 34 Interim Financial Reporting'.
These general purpose financial statements do not include all the notes of the type normally included in annual financial statements. Accordingly, these financial statements are to be read in conjunction with the annual report for the year ended 30 June 2022 and any public announcements made by the company during the interim reporting period in accordance with the continuous disclosure requirements of the Corporations Act 2001.
The principal accounting policies adopted are consistent with those of the previous financial year and corresponding interim reporting period, unless otherwise stated.
New or amended Accounting Standards and Interpretations adopted
The consolidated entity has adopted all of the new, revised or amending Accounting Standards and Interpretations issued by the Australian Accounting Standards Board ( AASB') that are mandatory for the current reporting period. Any new, revised or amending Accounting Standards or Interpretations that are not yet mandatory have not been early adopted. The adoption of these Accounting Standards and Interpretations did not have any significant impact on the financial performance or position of the consolidated entity.
During the half year ended 31 December 2022 the consolidated entity experienced net cash outflows from operating activities of $8,806,148 (December 2021: $11,391,410) and incurred a loss after tax of $13,586,027 (December 2021 restated: $13,201,848).
As at 31 December 2022 the consolidated entity had cash in hand and at bank of $4,390,523.
The financial statements have been prepared on a going concern basis, which contemplates continuity of normal activities and realisation of assets and settlement of liabilities in the normal course of business. As is often the case with drug development companies, the ability of the consolidated entity to continue its development activities as a going concern is dependent upon it deriving sufficient cash from investors, from licensing and partnering activities, and from other sources of revenue such as grant funding.
The directors have considered the cash flow forecasts and the funding requirements of the business and continue to explore grant funding, licensing opportunities and equity investment opportunities in the Company.
An at-the-market' equity program (ATM) with Oppenheimer & Co. Inc. (Oppenheimer), as sales agent was established in May 2022. Under the ATM, Kazia may offer and sell via Oppenheimer up to US$35 million of its ordinary shares, in the form of American Depository Shares (ADSs), with each ADS representing ten ordinary shares. Kazia entered into an Equity Distribution Agreement, dated 22 April 2022 (the Sales Agreement), with Oppenheimer, who acts as sales agent. As at 31 December 2022 net proceeds of A$9,560,357 have been raised.
On 3 January 2023 a deposit of US$428,096 was received from Labcorp Early Development Laboratories Inc. representing the refund due on the completion of the Paxalisib Phase II trial.
6 January 2023 Kazia announced a placement to professional and sophisticated investors and the launch of an associated Share Purchase Plan for eligible shareholders. The placement of A$4,500,000, comprised of an unconditional placement of A$2,792,572 at $0.11 per share; and a conditional placement of A$1,707,428 at $0.11 per share, and was approved by shareholders at the Extraordinary General Meeting on 24 February 2023. Each placement was made to professional and sophisticated investors. The Placement was not underwritten. In addition, eligible shareholders were offered the opportunity to acquire up to A$30,000 of new shares through a Share Purchase Plan (SPP). All new shares issued under the Placement and the SPP ranked equally with the existing ordinary shares. Funding will be used to drive Kazia's clinical program toward several critical inflection points through CY2023, including the final data read out on the paxalisib GBM AGILE study and for general working capital purposes.
Accordingly the directors have prepared the financial statements on a going concern basis. While the Company's current cash balance is not sufficient to fund the operations for a period of 12 months from the date of this report, the directors have prepared the financial statements on a going concern basis as they are confident of the Company's ability to raise additional funding, via licensing and partnering activities, obtaining of grant funding or raising additional capital from investors. Should the above assumptions not prove to be appropriate, there is material uncertainty related to events or conditions that may cast significant doubt whether the consolidated entity will continue as a going concern and therefore whether it will realise its assets and extinguish its liabilities in the normal course of business and at the amounts stated in these financial statements.