Verismo Showcases Early SynKIR-310 Data, Signals Potential Step-Change in CAR T for B-Cell Lymphomas

New updates have been reported about Verismo Therapeutics.

Verismo Therapeutics has released new preclinical and early clinical data for its SynKIR-310 KIR-CAR program, positioning the asset as a potentially differentiated CAR T therapy for relapsed or refractory B-cell malignancies. At the AACR 2026 meeting, the company reported that SynKIR-310, a multi-chain KIR-CAR “living medicine,” delivered stronger anti-tumor activity and lower cytokine release than analogs of approved single-chain CAR T products in B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma mouse models, while maintaining similar T-cell persistence.

The initial clinical signal from Verismo’s Phase 1 CELESTIAL-301 trial (NCT06544265) is a 70-year-old follicular lymphoma patient treated at the lowest dose level who achieved a complete response at day 28 that is ongoing beyond six months, supporting the platform’s potential to improve durability of effect. SynKIR-310’s multi-chain architecture, which separates antigen recognition from T-cell activation and incorporates a natural “on-off” switch, is designed to limit chronic T-cell exhaustion that contributes to relapse with standard CAR T. CELESTIAL-301, a first-in-human, multi-center, basket study in relapsed/refractory B-NHL (including patients previously treated with CD19 CAR T), is partially financed by up to $4.05 million from the Institute for Follicular Lymphoma Innovation to expand follicular lymphoma enrollment and accelerate development.

For Verismo, these data provide early but tangible clinical validation of its proprietary KIR-CAR platform, on which both SynKIR-310 and the solid-tumor–focused SynKIR-110 are based, and underscore a potential benefit-risk edge over conventional single-chain CAR Ts if larger datasets confirm reduced cytokine signaling with sustained efficacy. Strategically, a successful read-through from CELESTIAL-301 could open a path to broader development in follicular lymphoma and other B-cell malignancies, including in patients who have exhausted current CAR T options, and strengthen Verismo’s positioning as a specialized cell-therapy innovator rather than a follower in a crowded CD19 landscape. While the program remains in early-stage testing with the usual clinical, regulatory, and financing risks, the combination of improved preclinical profiles, an ongoing complete response in a heavily pretreated patient, and dedicated external funding support increases the strategic value of SynKIR-310 within Verismo’s pipeline and could enhance partnering or capital-raising options if subsequent cohorts and longer follow-up confirm these initial signals.