11:58 AM EDT, 06/26/2025 (MT Newswires) -- Lisata Therapeutics ( LSTA ) , the Australasian Gastro-Intestinal Trials Group, and the University of Sydney's NHMRC Clinical Trials Centre said Thursday that preliminary data from Cohort B of a phase 2b trial showed higher progression-free survival and response rates in metastatic pancreatic cancer patients treated with certepetide and chemotherapy compared with placebo.

The study, known as Ascend, is assessing certepetide in combination with gemcitabine and nab-paclitaxel.

The group B regimen, which includes a second dose of certepetide four hours after the first, recorded a six-month progression-free survival rate of 60.8% versus 25% in the placebo arm, and an objective response rate of 45.2% versus 19%, the companies said.

Median progression-free survival in the certepetide group was 7.5 months, compared with 4.7 months for placebo. Median overall survival was 10.3 months versus 9.2 months.

The Cohort B data were consistent with earlier findings from Cohort A and suggest a treatment effect and tolerable safety profile. Full results from both cohorts are expected later this year, the companies said.

AGITG sponsored the trial, while Lisata provided funding. The findings are scheduled for presentation at the European Society for Medical Oncology's Gastrointestinal Cancers Congress in Barcelona on July 2.

Lisata shares were down 0.8% in recent trading.

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