[비즈한국] HLB028300 Group has thrown its hat into the ring to develop an immuno-oncology platform based on cell therapy. The goal is to overcome the limitations of CAR-T (Chimeric Antigen Receptor T-cell) therapy, which is hailed as a next-generation "one-shot" cancer treatment but possesses clear shortcomings. Attention is focused on the "post-Rivoceranib" (next-generation anti-cancer pipeline) initiatives of HLB Group Chairman Jin Yang-gon, who has dedicated 20 years to anti-cancer drug development and now stands on the brink of US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval.
During the HLB Forum held at the Sofitel Ambassador Seoul in Jamsil on the 12th, Chairman Jin Yang-gon expressed his anticipation, stating, "Twenty years after setting out to develop anti-cancer drugs, we are facing the most important moment ever. The interim clinical trial results for Verismo's CAR-T therapy, targeting solid tumors, demonstrate the potential of a next-generation immuno-oncology platform."
CAR-T therapy functions by modifying a patient's own immune T-cells with a CAR (Chimeric Antigen Receptor) that can precisely recognize cancer cells, and then injecting them back into the body to target and destroy the cancer. Because it offers the hope of a full cure with just a single administration, it is highly anticipated as a "one-shot treatment."
However, CAR-T therapy faces two critical limitations. It struggles to penetrate solid tumors—which account for 90% of all cancer cases—due to the micro-tumor environment, and while initial response rates for blood cancers are high, the disease recurs in approximately 50% of patients.
Dr. Donald Siegel, co-founder of Verismo, a US-based drug development subsidiary of HLB Innovation046410, identified T-cell exhaustion as the root cause of CAR-T therapy's limitations during the forum. Dr. Siegel was also a key figure in the development of Novartis's 'Kymriah,' the world's first CAR-T therapy. Dr. Siegel diagnosed, "Existing CAR-T therapies have a highly artificial structure designed to keep T-cells constantly activated after injection into the body. This causes the cells to tire or die quickly, and as a result, they fail to track remaining cancer cells to the end, leading to recurrence."
Verismo, a spin-off from the University of Pennsylvania, was incorporated into the HLB Group in 2024. Verismo's "KIR-CAR" platform focuses on preventing cellular exhaustion. The key is mimicking the natural signaling system of NK (Natural Killer) cells instead of using artificial linkages. By separating the antigen-recognition domain from the signaling domain, the T-cells are activated only when they encounter cancer cells, while remaining inhibited otherwise. This prevents the over-activation of cells and significantly extends their lifespan within the body.
Based on this platform, Verismo is simultaneously tackling the two major challenges of CAR-T therapy through two key pipelines.
First, "SynKIR-310" is addressing the issue where 50% of blood cancer patients relapse within one year. While it targets the CD19 antigen just like existing CAR-T therapies, the KIR-CAR structure allows T-cells to remain active in the body for much longer.
"SynKIR-110" is a pipeline exploring the possibility of treating solid tumors. It targets mesothelin, a marker protein overexpressed in solid tumors such as mesothelioma, bile duct cancer, and ovarian cancer, allowing T-cells to survive and destroy tumors even within the tumor microenvironment (TME). Both SynKIR-310 and SynKIR-110 are currently in Phase 1 clinical trials in the US.
The achievements of these pipelines are gradually being confirmed. At the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR 2026) held last month, interim Phase 1 clinical results for SynKIR-110 were announced, showing that 4 out of 9 evaluable patients experienced tumor reduction, with a maximum reduction of 47% in tumor size, and no dose-limiting toxicities (DLT) or serious adverse events related to the protocol were reported.
Lee Ji-hwan, Executive Director of the Bio-Link Team at HLB Group's On-site Support Headquarters, stated, "Verismo's role ranges from identifying new drug targets to translational research and proving clinical concept (PoC) through Phase 1 trials. Once proven, the goal is to pursue technology transfers or partnerships with large companies that have the infrastructure and support capabilities for late-stage clinical development and commercialization."
Meanwhile, Jin In-hye, the second daughter of Chairman Jin Yang-gon and Executive Director of Strategic Planning at Verismo and Strategic Partnerships at Elevar, drew attention by appearing at the press conference. Director Jin participated as an interpreter during the Q&A session with Laura Johnson, Chief Scientific Officer (CSO) of Verismo, and Dr. Donald Siegel, a professor at the University of Pennsylvania. When a question was directed at her, she declined to answer and passed it on to CSO Johnson and Dr. Siegel.