On May 14, 2025 Zentalis Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq: ZNTL), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing a potentially first-in-class and best-in-class WEE1 inhibitor for patients with ovarian cancer and other tumor types, reported financial results for the first quarter 2025 and highlighted recent operational progress (Press release, Zentalis Pharmaceuticals, MAY 14, 2025, View Source [SID1234653082]).

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"We continued advancement of azenosertib and made solid progress against our strategic goals in the first quarter. The initiation of DENALI Part 2 moves us into a new chapter as a late-stage development company focusing on a significant patient population in platinum-resistant ovarian cancer with limited choices." said Julie Eastland, Chief Executive Officer of Zentalis. "Our team remains focused on the enrollment and execution of DENALI. Zentalis is financially and organizationally well-positioned to continue advancing azenosertib as a potential treatment option for PROC patients."

Program Highlights

•First patient dosed in Part 2 of the Phase 2 DENALI clinical trial.
◦In April 2025, the Company announced that the first patient had been dosed in Part 2a of the Phase 2 DENALI clinical trial (NCT05128825) of azenosertib in patients with Cyclin E1+ platinum-resistant ovarian cancer (PROC).
◦Part 2a is designed to confirm the primary dose-of-interest with a target enrollment of approximately 30 patients at each of two dose levels: 400mg QD 5:2 and 300mg QD 5:2 (intermittent daily dosing with a five days on, two days off dosing schedule).
◦The Company expects to disclose topline data from DENALI Part 2 (Part 2a and Part 2b) by year end 2026. DENALI Part 2, if successful, has the potential to support an accelerated approval, subject to FDA review.

•Azenosertib clinical data demonstrated clinically meaningful response rates and a consistent therapeutic profile.
◦Previously disclosed clinical data from Part 1b of the DENALI study showed clinically meaningful results in patients with Cyclin E1+ PROC. As of the January 13, 2025 data cutoff, patients who were response-evaluable (n=43) had an objective response rate (ORR) of 34.9% and a median duration of response (mDOR) of 6.3 months. The mDOR is subject to change as there were patients with ongoing responses as of the cutoff date.
◦Across multiple monotherapy studies of azenosertib with significant sample sizes, as of the December 2, 2024 data cutoff, azenosertib demonstrated meaningful antitumor activity (ORR >30% at 400mg QD 5:2) and a manageable safety profile in Cyclin E1+ PROC patients.

Upcoming Events

•Zentalis plans to participate in the following scientific and medical conference:
◦American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) (Free ASCO Whitepaper) Annual Meeting – May 30 to June 3 in Chicago, IL
◦NRG Oncology Summer Meeting – July 24 to 26 in Washington, D.C.

•Zentalis plans to participate and present in the following investor events:
◦H.C. Wainwright 3rd Annual BioConnect Investor Conference – May 20 in New York, NY
◦TD Cowen’s 6th Annual Oncology Innovation Summit – May 27 Virtual
◦Jefferies Healthcare Conference – June 4 in New York, NY

First Quarter 2025 Financial Results

•Cash, Cash Equivalents and Marketable Securities Position: As of March 31, 2025, the Company had cash, cash equivalents and marketable securities of $332.5 million, which includes $12.2 million representing the March 31, 2025 fair value of Immunome common stock received by the Company from the sale of its ROR1 antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) product candidate and ADC platform to Immunome in October 2024. The Company believes that its existing cash, cash equivalents and marketable securities as of March 31, 2025 will be sufficient to fund its operating expenses and capital expenditure requirements into late 2027.

•Research and Development Expenses: Research and development expenses for the three months ended March 31, 2025 were $27.2 million, compared to $49.6 million for the three months ended March 31, 2024. The decrease of $22.4 million was primarily due to decreases of $10.7 million for clinical expenses, $4.8 million for drug manufacturing, $3.5 million for lab services and $5.1 million related to consulting and personnel expenses including non-cash stock-based compensation. These decreases were partially offset by a one-time impairment charge of $1.2 million related to the disposal of research and development equipment and an increase of $0.5 million of allocated overhead.

•General and Administrative Expenses: General and administrative expenses for the three months ended March 31, 2025 were $10.6 million, compared to $15.7 million during the three months ended March 31, 2024. This decrease of $5.1 million was primarily attributable to non-cash stock-based compensation.

•Operating Expenses: Total operating expenses were $45.6 million for the three months ended March 31, 2025, compared to $65.3 million for the three months ended March 31, 2024. Total operating expenses for the first quarter of 2025 include the non-recurring restructuring expenses of $7.8 million associated with the strategic restructuring announced in January 2025.

About Azenosertib

Azenosertib is a novel, selective, and orally bioavailable inhibitor of WEE1 currently being evaluated as a monotherapy and combination clinical studies in ovarian cancer and additional tumor types. WEE1 acts as a master regulator of the G1-S and G2-M cell cycle checkpoints, through negative regulation of both CDK1 and CDK2, to prevent replication of cells with damaged DNA. By inhibiting WEE1, azenosertib enables cell cycle progression, despite high levels of DNA damage, thereby resulting in the accumulation of DNA damage and leading to mitotic catastrophe and cancer cell death.

About DENALI Clinical Trial

DENALI is a multi-part Phase 2 clinical trial studying azenosertib in platinum-resistant ovarian cancer (PROC) patients. Part 1b enrolled patients with PROC regardless of Cyclin E1 protein expression, all treated at 400mg 5:2(intermittent daily dosing with a five days on, two days off dosing schedule). Interim results from Part 1b were presented at the Society of Gynecologic Oncology (SGO) 2025 Annual Meeting. Part 2 is ongoing and is enrolling PROC patients with Cyclin E1 protein overexpression based on Zentalis’ proprietary immunohistochemistry cutoff. Part 2 includes Part 2a, a dose confirmation portion evaluating two doses, 300mg 5:2 and 400mg 5:2, and Part 2b, a portion designed to complete enrollment at the selected dose. Part 2, in total, is designed for accelerated approval, pending study outcome and discussions with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.