Lisata Therapeutics Inc (NASDAQ:LSTA) has announced a research collaboration with Haystack Oncology using Haystack’s MRD technology to evaluate the efficacy of its investigational pancreatic cancer therapy certepetide.
Per the research agreement, Lisata will deploy the Haystack MRD technology for the detection of circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) in a clinical study evaluating certepetide plus chemotherapy as an investigational treatment for metastatic pancreatic cancer.
Lisata is investigating the tolerability, and efficacy of certepetide when given as a four-hour continuous infusion in combination with standard-of-care treatment in subjects with metastatic pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (mPDAC) who have progressed on FOLFIRINOX, a treatment for pancreatic cancer.
It will use Haystack’s MRD technology serum ctDNA levels at multiple timepoints in patients throughout the study as an exploratory endpoint for analyzing the early therapeutic effect of certepetide.
Lisata’s investigational drug certepetide is designed to activate a novel uptake pathway that allows co-administered or tethered anti-cancer drugs to target and penetrate solid tumors more effectively.
The company's chief medical officer Dr Kristen Buck highlighted that a significant challenge in the development of anti-cancer therapies for pancreatic tumors is the early measurement of response to treatment.
“Conventional response assessment via imaging may lack sensitivity in certain situations, and highly sensitive ctDNA assays offer the potential to quickly identify clinically meaningful biologic activity in difficult-to-treat cancers,” Buck said.
“The Haystack MRD test has the level of sensitivity required for us to better identify the selective tumor penetrating effect of certepetide, our lead candidate, for the treatment of solid tumors."
Dan Edelstein, Haystack Oncology vice president and general manager, added: "Our collaboration with Lisata underscores the value of our Haystack MRD technology in helping to drive forward the development of novel treatments for solid tumor cancers.”