Lisata Therapeutics said results from Cohort A of its Phase 2 ASCEND trial showed complete responses in 6.2% of certepetide-treated patients, compared to 0% in the placebo group.

The company said it evaluated its investigational drug certepetide combined with standard chemotherapy for metastatic pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma and the median overall survival (mOS) was 12.68 months in the certepetide-treated group versus 9.72 months in the placebo group.

"The data from Cohort A are as we expected and corroborate our decision to add Cohort B to the ASCEND protocol," said Kristen K. Buck, M.D., Executive Vice President of Research and Development and Chief Medical Officer of Lisata. "The increase in overall survival and the observation of 4 complete responses in the certepetide-treated group compared to none in the placebo group for Cohort A, coupled with our expectation of even better outcomes in Cohort B, where we believe early indications show a strong separation in mPFS benefiting patients treated with certepetide, support our plans to advance certepetide development to Phase 3 in early 2026."