KZIA · Kazia Therapeutics Limited

Kazia Therapeutics announced the strategic appointment of Dr. Sudha Rao as Chief Scientific Officer, effective April 15, 2026. Dr. Rao brings deep expertise in translational epigenetics and AI-guided drug discovery, having previously served as CSO of EpiAxis Therapeutics and held senior roles at Sanofi. She is the lead inventor on 39 international patents and the scientific originator of the epigenetic framework underlying paxalisib, Kazia's lead program. Her appointment is significant as she will lead all R&D activities, directly overseeing the advancement of the company's integrated oncology platform strategy including paxalisib, NDL2 (PD-L1 degrader), and MSETC (SETDB1-targeted program). The employment structure notably accommodates her continued role at QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, with specific provisions for IP separation. To incentivize value creation, her compensation package includes eligibility for equity awards up to 1.0% of fully diluted shares upon achieving strategic milestones such as material licensing transactions or spin-outs. CEO Dr. John Friend highlighted that Dr. Rao's appointment allows for immediate strengthening of execution while advancing a platform-driven strategy.