Kezar Life Sciences Announces Strategic Restructuring to Prioritize Clinical-Stage Assets and Extend Financial Runway and Appoints Christopher Kirk, Ph.D. as Chief Executive Officer
- Strategic realignment to focus capital resources on clinical programs and reduce workforce by approximately 41%
- Cash runway extended to fund PALIZADE global Phase 2b clinical trial evaluating zetomipzomib in lupus nephritis; topline data expected mid-2026
-
Co-Founder and Board Director,
Christopher Kirk , PhD, appointed as Chief Executive Officer
Actions to prioritize clinical programs and implement cost saving measures are expected to extend Kezar’s cash runway into late 2026. These measures will focus resources to achieve important clinical data readouts for zetomipzomib in lupus nephritis and autoimmune hepatitis and KZR-261 in solid tumors. All research and drug discovery activities have been paused, and Kezar will explore strategic partnering alternatives for its protein secretion platform and preclinical programs. Kezar anticipates initial data from its KZR-261 Phase 1 clinical trial in 2024, topline data from its
Kezar will reduce its workforce by approximately 41% to optimize capital allocation and align with strategic priorities. Kezar is also evaluating its Phase 1 clinical trial of KZR-261 in solid tumors and expects to reduce the number of planned expansion cohorts to conserve cash resources while it continues to evaluate safety and biologic activity in the ongoing trial.
“These difficult but necessary decisions to streamline our operations and align resources around our clinical programs should put us on a path to long-term success, extending our runway past key data points, particularly the readout for our PALIZADE trial,” said
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This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Words such as “anticipate”, “may,” “will,” “should,” “expect,” “believe”, “plan” and similar expressions (as well as other words or expressions referencing future events, conditions or circumstances) are intended to identify forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are based on Kezar’s expectations and assumptions as of the date of this press release. Each of these forward-looking statements involves risks and uncertainties that could cause Kezar’s clinical development programs, future results or performance to differ materially from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements contained in this press release include, but are not limited to, statements about the company’s financial position and cash runway, the timing and amount of future operating expenses, the design, progress, timing, scope and results of clinical trials, the anticipated timing of disclosure of results of clinical trials, the timing and results of strategic partnering alternatives, the likelihood data will support future development, and the likelihood of obtaining regulatory approval of Kezar’s product candidates. Many factors may cause differences between current expectations and actual results, including unexpected safety or efficacy data observed during clinical studies, clinical trial site activation or enrollment rates that are lower than expected, changes in expected or existing competition, changes in the regulatory environment, the uncertainties and timing of the regulatory approval process, the sufficiency of Kezar’s capital and other resources; and unexpected litigation or other disputes. Other factors that may cause actual results to differ from those expressed or implied in the forward-looking statements in this press release are discussed in Kezar’s filings with the
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Investor Contact:
Vice President, Investor Relations and External Affairs
gjain@kezarbio.com
Media Contact:
Evoke Canale
will.zasadny@evokegroup.com
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