Lisata Therapeutics (LSTA) Q3 Earnings call transcript Nov 12, 2024
1min read Lisata Therapeutics recently held its Q3 2024 earnings call, revealing a strong focus on the development of its investigational product, certepetide, and strategic collaborations to enhance its value and potential impact on cancer treatment. The call, led by executives Dr. David Mazzo, President and CEO, Dr. Kristen Buck, Executive Vice President of Research and Development and Chief Medical Officer, and James Nisco, Senior Vice President of Finance and Treasury, provided insights into the company's financial results and strategic initiatives.
Financial Highlights and Future Outlook
James Nisco reported a decrease in operating expenses, particularly in research and development, reflecting a reduction in clinical research organization expenses and lower equity expense. The company's financial position remains strong, with a cash balance of approximately $35.9 million, sufficient to fund operations into early 2026.
Certepetide: A Game Changer in Cancer Therapy
The highlight of the call was the discussion on certepetide, Lisata's investigational product, and its potential to transform cancer treatment. Certepetide leverages the naturally occurring CendR active transport system to selectively deliver anticancer drugs through the stroma into tumors while modifying the tumor microenvironment to increase susceptibility to immunotherapy and inhibit metastasis. The product holds significant potential in treating advanced solid tumors, including pancreatic, cholangiocarcinoma, glioblastoma multiforme, colon, appendiceal, and melanoma.
Clinical Development Programs
Kristen Buck provided an update on Lisata's clinical development programs, emphasizing the importance of addressing the challenges posed by solid tumors, including their dense fibrotic tissue and hostile tumor microenvironment. The ASCEND trial, a Phase IIb/III study in pancreatic cancer, and the BOLSTER trial, a Phase IIa study in cholangiocarcinoma, are key initiatives showcasing Lisata's strategic focus on advancing certepetide in combination with standard of care therapies.
Strategic Partnerships and Collaborations
Lisata's strategic collaborations, including the partnership with Valo Therapeutics to explore the benefits of combining certepetide with Valo's PeptiCRAd technology and a checkpoint inhibitor, underscore the company's commitment to maximizing certepetide's value. The potential extension of certepetide to non-oncologic indications, such as endometriosis, further highlights its versatility and broad therapeutic potential.
Looking Ahead
With a robust clinical development portfolio, a focused regulatory strategy, and a growing library of supportive evidence, Lisata Therapeutics remains optimistic about the potential of certepetide to revolutionize cancer treatment. Despite the current market valuation, the company remains committed to advancing the certepetide program across multiple tumor types and exploring strategic partnerships to maximize its value.
Conclusion
Lisata Therapeutics' Q3 2024 earnings call underscored the company's strategic focus on advancing certepetide, a promising investigational product, and its commitment to exploring new opportunities in cancer therapy and beyond. With a strong financial position and a clear development strategy, Lisata is well-positioned to make significant strides in addressing the challenges posed by solid tumors and potentially transforming the lives of cancer patients.