TEM Gains Validation for PurIST Amid Evolving Cancer Care Landscape

Per a report by the Kenner Family Research Fund, pancreatic cancer remains one of the most lethal malignancies, with limited therapeutic options and a five-year survival rate of just 12%. For patients with advanced, unresectable pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), the two most common first-line chemotherapy regimens, FOLFIRINOX (FFX) and gemcitabine plus nab-paclitaxel (GnP), have shown variable efficacy.

However, the clinicians lacked robust biomarkers to guide optimal therapy selection. To address this challenge, Tempus AI Inc. TEM collaborated with GeneCentric to develop and deploy PurIST, a clinically validated, RNA-based algorithm test that classifies PDAC tumors as either “classical” or “basal” subtypes.

Per the Grand View Research report, the global pancreatic cancer treatment market size is projected to reach $5.84 billion by 2030, at a CAGR of 12.3% from 2025 to 2030. Factors such as unhealthy lifestyles, alcohol consumption, and obesity have been the primary causes of pancreatic cancer in patients. Based on the market prospects, Tempus’ PurIST is well-positioned to strengthen its position and contribute to its top-line growth.

Recently, the company unveiled the largest real-world evidence supporting the integration of PurIST into routine clinical care for patients with advanced PDAC. Patients were treated with either first-line FFX or GnP, and clinical outcomes were assessed according to PurIST classification.

The study’s findings establish PurIST as both a prognostic and predictive biomarker, enabling clinicians to personalize first-line therapy for patients with advanced PDAC and maximize the likelihood of improved survival. The study was published in the JCO Precision Oncology.

Recent Development by TEM Peers in the Oncology Space

Caris Life Sciences CAI recently announced the publication of a study validating the analytical and clinical performance of its FDA-approved assay, MI Cancer Seek. It is used as a companion diagnostic (CDx) to identify cancer patients who may benefit from targeted therapies.

The study states that MI Cancer Seek works reliably for detecting multiple variant types of high clinical significance, and that its approved medical uses follow strict laboratory standards. It also offers the added benefit of simultaneous RNA and DNA extraction from minimal tissue input compared to other tissue-based assays that may require individual testing processes in increased tissue requirements and potential delays.

Personalis, Inc. PSNL announced new favorable data for its NeXT Personal from an AstraZeneca phase 3 clinical trial in lung cancer (NeoADAURA). The findings demonstrate that the company’s highly sensitive molecular residual disease (MRD) test, NeXT Personal, is a strong predictor of outcomes in patients with stage II-IIIb, EGFR-mutated non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) receiving neoadjuvant therapy.

TEM Stock Outperforms Industry & Benchmark

In the past year, Tempus AI shares have rallied 67.4%, outperforming the industry’s 21.4% growth and the S&P 500 composite’s 19.4% improvement.

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Expensive Valuation

TEM currently trades at a forward 12-month Price-to-Sales (P/S) of 9.56X compared with the industry average of 5.88X.

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TEM Stock Estimate Trend

In the past 30 days, Tempus AI's loss per share estimate for 2025 has moved south 8 cents.

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TEM stock currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.

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