His disappointment palpable, Robert Forrester, Verastem Inc.'s president and CEO, told analysts Monday morning that the decision to halt the phase II study, COMMAND, of lead candidate VS-6063 (defactinib) for futility in malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) was a blow not just to development plans by the Boston-based company but also to physicians and patients, who have few options to treat the aggressive cancer.