Verismo Therapeutics, a clinical-stage CAR T company, Penn spinout, and pioneer of the novel KIR-CAR platform technology, today announced it has raised $17M in a second pre-Series A financing round. The financing will support continued advancement of the clinical trial for SynKIR™-110, a first-in-class KIR-CAR T cell immunotherapy candidate for solid tumors, and pre-clinical development of SynKIR™-310, a KIR-CAR T cell immunotherapy therapeutic for blood cancers.

The funding round was co-led by DongKoo Bio, HLB Innovation and HLB. The funding will be used to advance multiple programs targeting solid and liquid tumors. With this $17M investment Verismo will have secured a total of $50M in financing since launching in 2020.

Verismo Therapeutics is a pioneer in dual-chain KIR-CAR technology, and its lead asset, SynKIR™-110, is currently undergoing first-in-human Phase 1 clinical trial. Verismo is the only company developing the KIR-CAR T cell platform, a modified NK-like receptor designed to improve persistence and efficacy against aggressive solid tumors. The KIR-CAR T cell platform technology was developed specifically for advanced solid tumors, an area of high unmet medical need.