NEW YORK – Verismo Therapeutics on Tuesday said it has partnered with the Institute for Follicular Lymphoma Innovation (IFLI) to advance development of its killer-cell immunoglobulin-like receptor (KIR) CAR T-cell therapy, SynKIR-310, for follicular lymphoma.
IFLI will invest up to $4.05 million over three years to expand Verismo's ongoing Phase I study of SynKIR-310 in patients with relapsed or refractory non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) subtypes, including those who relapsed after prior CAR therapy treatment.
With the investment, Verismo aims to expand the number of follicular lymphoma patients enrolled in the trial. Verismo will tap into IFLI's experts and network to expand clinical sites for the study. The firm aims to enroll 18 patients in the trial to evaluate two dose levels of SynKIR-310 and determine the recommended Phase II dose.
SynKIR-310 was developed using Verismo's SynKIR platform, which harnesses both natural killer cells, regulated by KIR, and T cells to destroy cancer cells. The firm also has three other KIR-CAR therapies in development for solid tumors, including one in a Phase I trial in mesothelin-expressing solid tumors.
Philadelphia-based Verismo was acquired by South Korean firm HLB Innovation last month, a deal which Verismo CEO Bryan Kim said would enhance the firm's ability to rapidly advance its clinical pipeline.