- Baseline plasma profiling identified three molecular states previously characterized in tissue: androgen receptor (AR)-high/metabolic, stem/epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), and AR-low/proliferative. The AR-high/metabolic group showed the most favorable outcome trends.
- Analysis of published gene sets corroborated these findings: higher stem-like and WNT signaling activity was associated with shorter time to next treatment, while higher AR signaling and luminal A activity was associated with longer time to next treatment.
- At progression, plasma-predicted expression of therapeutic targets, including PSMA, TROP2, SEZ6, CEACAM5 and DLL3, was evaluated relative to baseline, with predicted PSMA expression declining in 11 of 17 patients. These findings support investigation of treatment-sequencing strategies involving alternative PSMA-targeting modalities and therapies directed at other targets.
BOSTON, Oct. 23, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Precede Biosciences, a company powering next-generation precision medicine through its functional liquid biopsy platform, today announced new data being presented at the European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) Congress 2026, taking place October 23-27, 2026, in Madrid, Spain.
The study used Precede Bio Insight to profile samples from 57 patients with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) treated with PSMA-directed radioligand therapy, 177Lu-PSMA-617, using just 1 mL of plasma per sample and including paired baseline and progression samples from 17 patients. The findings highlight the opportunity to scale access to target expression, lineage states and pathway activity that may shape treatment response and resistance.
"While 177Lu-PSMA-617 has been a welcome addition, we still need to better identify patients most likely to benefit, to develop alternatives for those unlikely to respond, and to determine how best to sequence therapies after progression," said Jacob E. Berchuck, MD, Winship Cancer Institute of Emory University. "These data build on prior observations and support new hypotheses for rational combination and sequencing of therapies in mCRPC."
"The depth of biology recovered in a cohort of this size illustrates what becomes possible when tumor transcriptional biology can be profiled from just 1 mL of plasma," said Rehan Verjee, CEO of Precede Biosciences. "A higher-resolution view of disease biology has repeatedly improved how medicines are developed and how patients are treated in practice. This is what motivates us at Precede Biosciences."
ESMO 2026 Presentation
Comprehensive Plasma Epigenomic Profiling in mCRPC Elucidates Lineage States Associated with 177Lu-PSMA-617 Response and Resistance (Poster #8727)
Data presentations are available in the presentations section of the company website at www.precede.bio.
About Precede Biosciences
Precede Biosciences is a precision diagnostics and data company redefining what can be learned from a simple blood draw. By unlocking genome-wide transcriptional biology through a novel, comprehensive epigenomics approach, the company enables researchers and clinicians to better understand disease biology in real time. By partnering with developers of new medicines and advancing its own diagnostic tests, Precede Bio is working toward a future in which drug development is more efficient and patients receive minimally invasive diagnostics and treatments aligned to the biology of their disease. To learn more, visit www.precede.bio or follow us on LinkedIn.
About Precede Bio Insight
Precede Bio Insight is a first-of-its-kind product that enables genome-wide liquid biopsy of gene expression from just 1 mL of plasma. Powered by comprehensive epigenomic profiling of cell-free DNA and advanced machine learning, Insight generates quantitative measures of tumor and immune transcriptional biology, including target expression, pathway activity, and cell states. This approach provides a unified, functional view of tumor biology to inform critical R&D decisions, including patient selection and the design of more precise treatment combinations and sequencing strategies. Precede Bio Insight is available for research and development collaborations. To learn more or to start a partnership discussion, visit insight.precede.bio.
Media Contact: Donelle M. Gregory media@precede.bio
