Verismo Therapeutics Posts Early Clinical Wins for KIR-CAR Pipeline in Blood and Solid Tumors

Verismo Therapeutics advanced its KIR-CAR cell therapy platform this week, releasing early but promising data for both hematologic and solid tumor programs. The private biotech, a subsidiary of HLB Innovation, is developing multi-chain CAR T candidates designed to improve durability and safety versus conventional single-chain CAR T therapies.

At AACR 2026, Verismo presented new preclinical and early clinical findings for SynKIR-310 in relapsed or refractory B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphomas. In mouse models, SynKIR-310 showed stronger anti-tumor activity with lower cytokine release than analogs of approved single-chain CAR Ts, while maintaining comparable T-cell persistence.

Initial clinical data from the Phase 1 CELESTIAL-301 trial highlighted a 70-year-old follicular lymphoma patient at the lowest dose level who achieved a complete response by day 28, ongoing beyond six months. The study, partially funded by up to $4.05 million from the Institute for Follicular Lymphoma Innovation, is enrolling patients with relapsed or refractory B-NHL, including those previously treated with CD19 CAR T.

The company also reported first-in-human results for SynKIR-110 from the ongoing Phase 1 STAR-101 trial in advanced mesothelin-positive solid tumors. Among nine patients treated across the first three dose-escalation cohorts, SynKIR-110 demonstrated a favorable safety profile with no dose-limiting toxicities, no grade 3 or higher cytokine release syndrome, and no ICANS.

Data from STAR-101 showed dose-dependent biologic and anti-tumor activity, including KIR-CAR T cell expansion, persistence, and cytokine changes. At the highest dose tested so far, one of three patients achieved an ongoing partial response beyond three months, supporting continued dose escalation toward a recommended Phase 2 dose.

Both SynKIR-310 and SynKIR-110 leverage Verismo’s split-signaling KIR-CAR architecture, which separates antigen recognition from T-cell activation to limit chronic signaling and T-cell exhaustion. If future data confirm reduced cytokine signaling with sustained efficacy, the platform could offer a differentiated profile in both B-cell malignancies and solid tumors.

Strategically, the emerging clinical validation of Verismo’s KIR-CAR technology increases the importance of these assets within its pipeline and may strengthen its position for partnerships or future financing. Overall, the week marked a significant step in de-risking Verismo’s platform, with early signals supporting its ambition to become a specialized player in next-generation cell therapy.