SynKIR-110 Demonstrates Promising Results in Preclinical Study
HLB Innovation's (024850) U.S. subsidiary, Verismo Therapeutics, has unveiled impressive findings from the preclinical study of its solid tumor CAR-T therapy, SynKIR-110. The study, compared to existing CAR-T therapies, showcases faster tumor control and a significant reduction in key cytokine production, with levels up to approximately 97% lower.
Verismo announced on the 3rd of this month that the preclinical study abstract for SynKIR-110 has been made public, revealing these groundbreaking results. This follows the company's initial disclosure of the research findings last month, which were presented at the Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer (SITC) 2026 conference in Phoenix, Arizona, from the 4th to the 8th of this month.
The study, presented as a poster at the conference, directly compared SynKIR-110 with traditional CD28 and 4-1BB based single-chain CAR-T therapies. It aimed to evaluate the unique characteristics of Verismo's multi-chain KIR-CAR platform.
With these promising preclinical outcomes, SynKIR-110 is poised to make significant strides in the field of solid tumor treatment, offering potential new hope for patients. The market eagerly anticipates further updates and the next steps in the commercialization process.
SynKIR-110: A Promising CAR-T Therapy for Solid Tumors
The recently disclosed abstract reveals that SynKIR-110 demonstrated superior tumor control compared to single-chain CAR-T therapies based on CD28 and 4-1BB. Notably, the key cytokines generated during immune cell activation remained at relatively low levels.
In particular, when compared to CD28-based single-chain CAR-T, interferon gamma (IFN-γ) levels were approximately one-tenth, while tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFα) and interleukin-2 (IL-2) were approximately one-thirtieth. This indicates a significant reduction of approximately 96.7% in the production of TNFα and IL-2 compared to the control group.
Furthermore, CD8 T-cells that infiltrated the tumor tissue exhibited lower expression of TIM3, LAG3, and PD1, which are associated with T-cell exhaustion. T-cell exhaustion occurs when immune cells experience continuous stimulation, leading to a decline in their anti-cancer functionality.
SynKIR-110 Shows Promising Results in Preclinical Trials
Significant differences were observed in off-target activity. Traditional CD28 and 4-1BB-based CAR-T control groups exhibited off-target activity in vitro and CD8 CAR-T cell accumulation in normal lung tissue. However, no such phenomena were observed in the SynKIR-110 treatment group.
Laura Johnson, Chief Scientific Officer (CSO) and Chief Operating Officer (COO) at Verismart Therapeutics, stated, "These preclinical direct comparison results provide mechanistic evidence that our multi-chain KIR-CAR platform, which separates antigen binding and T-cell activation, can maintain anti-tumor activity while reducing persistent signaling and off-target, non-specific activity seen in traditional single-chain CAR-T."
SynKIR-110 is currently undergoing a Phase 1 clinical trial (STAR-101, NCT05568680) in the United States for patients with advanced solid tumors, including mesothelioma, ovarian cancer, and cholangiocarcinoma. This is the dose-escalation stage to determine the recommended Phase 2 dose (RP2D).
SynKIR-110 Shows Promise in Early Clinical Data
During the AACR 2026 Annual Meeting in May, initial clinical data revealed tumor reduction in some patients from the first three dose-escalation cohorts, comprising nine individuals. No dose-limiting toxicities (DLTs), grade 3 or higher cytokine release syndrome (CRS), or immune effector cell-associated neurotoxicity syndrome (ICANS) were observed.
SITC Study Highlights SynKIR-110's Potential
The recent SITC research presented a comprehensive numerical analysis of SynKIR-110's anti-tumor activity and immune response characteristics, directly comparing it to existing CAR-T therapies. Verismo is currently evaluating safety and anti-tumor activity through dose escalation in its ongoing Phase 1 trial and plans to determine the recommended dose for subsequent trials.
This breakthrough therapy has the potential to revolutionize cancer treatment, and investors are closely watching Verismo's progress. With positive data emerging, the company is poised to make significant strides in the fight against cancer.
