Verismo draws $4 million to speed up developing small cell lymphoma drug

Verismo Therapeutics, under the HLB Group, said it will receive up to $4.05 million (5.9 billion won) to accelerate the clinical development of its CAR-T therapeutic candidate SynKIR-310.

Verismo said Tuesday that it has partnered strategically with the Institute for Follicular Lymphoma Innovation (IFLI). IFLI will invest up to $4.05 million over the next three years to support Verismo's development of SynKIR-310.

Founded in February 2022, IFLI is a non-profit foundation dedicated to advancing the research and treatment of small-cell lymphoma. With a diverse portfolio spanning all stages, from basic research to clinical development, IFLI integrates existing therapies and innovative technologies to advance the treatment of small-cell lymphoma.

Verismo is conducting a phase 1 clinical trial of SynKIR-310 (CELESTIAL-301) in patients with relapsed/refractory B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma in the U.S. The trial is designed as a “basket trial” to include multiple B-cell lymphoma subtypes, and the investment will be used to expand vesicular lymphoma-focused clinical sites and increase patient enrollment.

The phase 1 study is expected to enroll up to 18 patients and run through December 2028. It will consist of two dose-escalating cohorts (three to six patients each), and each cohort's safety and manufacturing success will be evaluated before determining a recommended phase 2 dose. Patient recruitment is underway at the Colorado Blood Cancer Institute.

“This investment will allow us to accelerate the clinical development of SynKIR-310 and bring a new treatment option to patients with small cell lymphoma more quickly,” Verismo Therapeutics CEO Brian Kim said.

IFLI Chief Medical Officer Michelle Azoulay said, “Based on the positive safety and early efficacy data seen in phase 1, we look forward to accelerating clinical development in patients with vesicular lymphoma refractory to first-line immunotherapy.”

In December, Verismo Therapeutics became a wholly owned subsidiary of HLB Innovation. The HLB Group was a majority shareholder of Verismo, and the merger strengthened its development capabilities in cellular therapeutics.

Verismo is developing treatments for solid and blood cancers based on its KIR-CAR platform technology, characterized by the ability to maintain the anti-cancer activity of T cells in the tumor microenvironment.