In a major clinical advancement in its fight against blood cancers, Verismo Therapeutics has announced it has dosed the first follicular lymphoma (FL) patient in the CELESTIAL-301 Phase 1 clinical trial of its novel SynKIR™-310 cell therapy. has announced it has dosed the first follicular lymphoma (FL) patient in the CELESTIAL-301 Phase 1 clinical trial of its novel SynKIR™-310 cell therapy.

This milestone underscores the clinical-stage CAR T company's commitment to addressing the critical unmet medical need for patients with FL, which is a subtype of relapsed/refractory B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma (B-NHL).

The trial, designed as a multicenter Phase 1 study, is evaluating the safety, tolerability, and preliminary efficacy of SynKIR™-310 in B-NHL patients, including those who have either relapsed after prior CAR T therapy or those who are CAR T-naïve. SynKIR™-310 utilizes Verismo's proprietary KIR-CAR platform, which is uniquely designed to enhance T cell functional persistence and reduce T cell exhaustion by employing an NK cell-derived KIR and DAP12 split signaling mechanism, a method intended to improve long-term efficacy against challenging tumors compared to conventional CAR T approaches. The specific construct of SynKIR™-310 incorporates a new CD19 binder that targets malignant B cells, a component exclusively licensed to Verismo from the University of Pennsylvania (Penn). This clinical progression is significantly supported by a strategic, strengthened collaboration with the Institute for Follicular Lymphoma Innovation (IFLI), which made an investment of up to $4.05 million earlier in 2025 to support the SynKIR™-310 FL program and expand patient enrollment across FL-focused clinical sites. By treating the first FL patient, Verismo and IFLI are moving closer to potentially delivering a next-generation cell therapy option to this underserved patient population.