AUSTIN, Texas, August 12, 2026
Natera, Inc. announced a new collaboration with Kupando Therapeutics to support a Phase 1 clinical trial evaluating the investigational immunotherapy KUP-101 in patients with advanced tumors across multiple skin cancers in Germany. Under the collaboration, Natera’s Latitude™ tissue-free molecular residual disease (MRD) test will be used to monitor serial circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) dynamics at multiple timepoints during treatment. The trial is designed to assess molecular changes associated with treatment response and generate additional insights into the activity of KUP-101. Following dosing of the first patient, Kupando’s safety committee approved continued enrollment across activated clinical sites, including leading oncology centers in Germany. The collaboration highlights the growing role of liquid biopsy and ctDNA monitoring in early-stage oncology trials, where molecular changes may provide valuable information about treatment activity before conventional clinical assessments become evident.
Latitude to Monitor Molecular Response to KUP-101
Natera’s Latitude MRD testing will be incorporated into the Kupando-sponsored Phase 1 study to evaluate changes in ctDNA during treatment with KUP-101. The tissue-free assay is intended to provide a molecular approach for monitoring disease dynamics without requiring repeated tumor tissue sampling. Patients with advanced skin cancers and other eligible solid tumors will undergo testing at multiple timepoints, allowing investigators to examine whether changes in ctDNA correlate with treatment response. KUP-101 is designed to activate the innate immune system and induce trained immunity, representing a different therapeutic strategy from approaches that primarily target tumor-specific pathways or adaptive immune responses. Kupando is investigating the candidate as a potentially tissue-agnostic immunotherapy, both as a standalone treatment and in combination with other therapeutic agents. The incorporation of Latitude into the study could therefore help researchers characterize molecular activity across different tumor types and provide additional data to guide the clinical development of KUP-101.
Phase 1 Trial Advances Following First Patient Dosing
The first patient dosing milestone represents an important step for Kupando’s clinical program, with the company now continuing enrollment at activated sites in Germany. The Phase 1 study is focused on evaluating KUP-101 in patients with advanced tumors across multiple skin cancers, while ctDNA monitoring is being used to provide an additional layer of treatment-response assessment. According to the companies, the ability to track ctDNA dynamics over time may help investigators better understand molecular changes occurring during therapy and determine whether the investigational immunotherapy is producing measurable biological activity. Natera said Latitude is well suited for this setting because of its ability to evaluate molecular response across diverse solid tumor types. However, the study remains an early-stage clinical investigation, and ctDNA changes alone cannot establish that KUP-101 provides a clinical benefit. Safety, efficacy, durability of response and other clinical outcomes will need to be demonstrated through subsequent clinical development
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Natera and Kupando Expand Precision Oncology Strategy
The collaboration reflects continued efforts to integrate precision diagnostics with experimental cancer therapies. For Kupando, molecular monitoring with Latitude could generate data supporting the development of KUP-101 as a potential treatment for difficult-to-treat solid tumors. For Natera, the collaboration expands the application of its cell-free DNA and MRD technology into an emerging immunotherapy program focused on innate immune activation. KUP-101’s proposed mechanism of inducing trained immunity could potentially have applications across multiple tumor types, although its therapeutic potential remains investigational. The ongoing Phase 1 study and future clinical data will be important in determining whether molecular response measured through ctDNA translates into meaningful patient outcomes. The companies expect the clinical program to generate additional insights into KUP-101’s activity and support decisions regarding its further development in advanced cancers.
Source:Natera press release
