HLB Innovation !nnounced on Friday, that its U.S. subsidiary, Verismo Therapeutics, will present preclinical research results at an international conference. The study compares Verismo’s independently developed next-generation KIR-CAR platform for solid tumors with existing CAR-T therapies.
Verismo is set to showcase the preclinical study results of its mesothelin-targeted CAR-T therapy using the KIR-CAR platform. The presentation will be in poster format at the Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer (SITC 2026) in Phoenix, Arizona, on November 6 (local time).
Mesothelin, a protein commonly found in various solid tumors such as ovarian cancer, pancreatic cancer, and mesothelioma, is a prime target for developing immunotherapies that attack cancer cells.
This study directly compared Verismo’s KIR-CAR T cells, which use a multi-chain structure, with conventional single-chain CAR-T therapies based on CD28 or 4-1BB in preclinical models.
While CAR-T therapies have shown remarkable success in blood cancers, they face challenges in solid tumors. The immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment and T-cell exhaustion from constant antigen stimulation often hinder their long-term effectiveness.
To address these issues, Verismo’s KIR-CAR employs a multi-chain structure that mimics the natural receptor structure of immune cells, setting it apart from traditional CAR-T approaches.
Unlike existing CAR-T therapies that combine antigen recognition and T-cell activation elements into a single chain, KIR-CAR separates these components. It incorporates the KIR structure from natural killer (NK) cells, keeping the antigen-binding and signaling parts separate until they detect a target antigen on cancer cells. This triggers their binding and subsequent T-cell activation.
The mesothelin-targeted KIR-CAR technology featured in this study is also the basis for SynKIR-110, currently in Phase 1 clinical trials in the U.S. SynKIR-110 is being developed for patients with advanced solid tumors that express mesothelin, including ovarian cancer, cholangiocarcinoma, and mesothelioma.
Earlier this year, Verismo presented initial clinical results for SynKIR-110 at the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) meeting. Notably, this clinical study was selected for a plenary session, a first for a South Korean company.
Brian Kim, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and co-founder of Verismo Therapeutics, emphasized the significance of the study. This research provides in vivo confirmation of the multi-chain KIR-CAR’s unique ability to reduce T-cell exhaustion and cytokine release compared to existing CAR-T therapies, Kim stated. He added that they’re committed to advancing SynKIR-110 through its ongoing Phase 1 trials, aiming to unlock new potential in CAR-T therapy for solid tumors.