Insider Trading February 10, 2026

Zentalis CEO Sells $21,239 in Shares as Company Narrows Development Focus

Julia Marie Eastland executed automatic sales to satisfy tax withholding as Zentalis discontinues azenosertib program and faces analyst price-target cut

By Nina Shah ZNTL
Zentalis CEO Sells $21,239 in Shares as Company Narrows Development Focus
ZNTL

Zentalis Pharmaceuticals CEO Julia Marie Eastland sold 8,755 shares of common stock via automatic transactions on February 6 and 9, 2026, to cover tax withholding tied to vested restricted stock units. The trades totaled $21,239 at prices between $2.3929 and $2.4297. The company recently halted active development of azenosertib for uterine serous carcinoma, disclosed alongside its third-quarter 2025 earnings and pipeline update, and Leerink Partners lowered its price target from $5.00 to $2.00 while keeping a Market Perform rating.

Key Points

  • CEO Julia Marie Eastland sold 8,755 shares on February 6 and 9, 2026, through automatic transactions to cover tax withholding for vested RSUs - impacts corporate governance and insider activity reporting.
  • Zentalis discontinued active development of azenosertib for uterine serous carcinoma, a decision disclosed alongside the company’s Q3 2025 earnings and pipeline update - impacts biotech R&D and clinical pipeline valuation.
  • Leerink Partners lowered its price target for Zentalis from $5.00 to $2.00 but maintained a Market Perform rating - affects investor valuation expectations and capital markets sentiment toward the stock.

Zentalis Pharmaceuticals reported that Chief Executive Officer Julia Marie Eastland sold a total of 8,755 shares of the company's common stock on February 6 and February 9, 2026, according to a Form 4 filing submitted to the Securities and Exchange Commission.

The filing shows the aggregate value of the transactions was $21,239, with execution prices ranging from $2.3929 to $2.4297 per share. On February 6, Eastland sold 7,866 shares, and on February 9 she sold a further 889 shares.

The Form 4 specifies that the sales were automatic transactions carried out by Zentalis Pharmaceuticals to satisfy tax withholding obligations that arose upon the vesting and settlement of restricted stock units previously granted to Eastland.

Following these automated sales, Eastland's direct holdings in Zentalis Pharmaceuticals stand at 79,133 shares, as listed in the filing.


Separately, Zentalis has updated investors on its development portfolio. The company disclosed it will discontinue the active development of its azenosertib candidate for uterine serous carcinoma. That announcement was made in conjunction with Zentalis's third-quarter 2025 earnings report and a broader pipeline update.

In response to the clinical program change and the accompanying corporate update, Leerink Partners reduced its price target for Zentalis from $5.00 to $2.00. The research firm, however, retained a Market Perform rating on the stock.

These disclosures - the CEO's automatic sales to cover tax liabilities and the decision to halt active development of azenosertib - were both captured in regulatory filings and company public statements provided with the earnings and pipeline report.


The sequence of events highlights recent adjustments in Zentalis's strategic priorities and has led at least one analyst to revise expectations for the equity. The Form 4 filing documents the mechanics and purpose of the insider sales, while the company update and analyst action reflect recent changes to the firm's clinical and valuation outlook.

Risks

  • Pipeline uncertainty: The discontinuation of azenosertib's active development creates uncertainty around Zentalis's clinical pipeline and potential future revenues - impacts the biotechnology and healthcare sectors.
  • Valuation pressure: An analyst cut in price target from $5.00 to $2.00 indicates downside or re-rating risk for the stock - impacts investors and equity market sentiment in specialty biotech names.
  • Perception risk from insider transactions: Although the CEO's sales were automatic to satisfy tax withholding for vested restricted stock units, such filings can be interpreted variably by market participants - impacts corporate governance perceptions and investor relations.

More from Insider Trading

Clean Harbors Director Executes $204,802 Sale as Company Reports Strong Q4 and Pushes M&A Agenda Feb 21, 2026 Clean Harbors Executive Disposes Nearly $1.0M in Stock as Company Posts Strong Q4 Feb 21, 2026 Clean Harbors CFO Disposes $784K in Shares as Company Reports Strong Quarter and Pursues Acquisition Feb 21, 2026 Travelers Executive Vice President Records $1.74 Million Share Sale as Company Posts Strong Quarter Feb 21, 2026 Genasys Director Buys $50,404 of Stock; Company Reports Mixed Q1 Results Feb 21, 2026