Marker Therapeutics disclosed that its multi‑antigen T‑cell therapy, MT‑601, achieved an 84.6 % disease‑control rate when combined with frontline chemotherapy in a Phase 1/2 study of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma conducted at Baylor College of Medicine. The study also reported a median overall survival of 14.1 months and a median duration of response of 7.5 months for patients who responded to therapy.
The 14.1‑month median survival exceeds the 11.1‑month survival typically seen with first‑line FOLFIRINOX and the 8.7‑month survival of nab‑paclitaxel plus gemcitabine, indicating that MT‑601 may provide a meaningful clinical benefit in a disease with limited options. The 84.6 % disease‑control rate—comprising complete responses, partial responses, and stable disease—highlights the therapy’s ability to halt tumor progression in the majority of treated patients.
Safety data were encouraging. No treatment‑related neurotoxicity was observed, and only rare grade 1 cytokine‑release syndrome events were reported. In addition, T‑cell persistence was documented up to 12 months post‑infusion, suggesting durable immune engagement that could translate into long‑term disease control.
Marker Therapeutics has secured more than $30 million in non‑dilutive funding from the NIH SBIR program and the Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas, providing a cash runway to advance the pancreatic program. The company plans to launch its own Phase 1 trial of MT‑601 in the first half of 2026, building on the proof‑of‑concept demonstrated in the Baylor study.
CEO Juan Vera emphasized that the results “demonstrate the potential of Multi‑Antigen Targeted T cells in pancreatic cancer and set the stage for continued development toward addressing a critical unmet need.” Analysts noted that the strong efficacy and safety profile, coupled with the company’s funding position, are likely to reinforce investor confidence in Marker’s solid‑tumor platform.
The study’s outcomes position Marker Therapeutics as a serious contender in the solid‑tumor immunotherapy space, potentially expanding its pipeline beyond early‑stage indications and strengthening its competitive stance against other CAR‑T and T‑cell therapies targeting pancreatic cancer.
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