Lisata Therapeutics Inc (NASDAQ:LSTA) chief medical officer Kristen Buck discusses the company's research collaboration with Haystack Oncology to evaluate the efficacy of certepetide with Proactive's Stephen Gunnion.
Buck explained that certepetide is a nine amino acid cyclic peptide designed to target up-regulated receptors on solid tumors, enhancing the delivery of anti-cancer therapies. She highlighted the challenges in treating pancreatic cancer, such as its hostile microenvironment and late-stage detection.
Buck detailed the collaboration with Haystack Oncology, emphasizing the use of their minimal residual disease (MRD) technology to detect circulating tumor DNA in blood, which can indicate cancer recurrence or progression. This technology will play a crucial role in Lisata’s ASCEND trial, which is set to report results in the fourth quarter of this year.
The ASCEND trial aims to assess the efficacy of certepetide in combination with standard chemotherapy. It includes a second dose of certepetide to determine if increased dosage improves tumor penetration and outcomes. Additionally, Buck discussed the FORTIFIDE trial, targeting patients with metastatic pancreatic cancer who have progressed on first-line treatment. This trial evaluates different certepetide dosing regimens in combination with standard chemotherapy.
Buck shared insights on the potential impact of these trials, stating, "The goal is to further bathe the hostile tumor microenvironment with certepetide to enhance the active transport pathway, resulting in more intra-tumoral chemotherapy and better outcomes."