Our Science
Why Cell Therapies Fail in Solid Tumors
CAR-Ts can reach the tumor—but they lose function in days.
Even the best-engineered immune cells get silenced within days—crippled by the tumor’s defense system known as the tumor microenvironment (TME).
The TME Was Built to Shut Immune Cells Down
TME Suppression Layers
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Immunological (PD-1, CTLA4)
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Biochemical (TGFβ, IL-10, adenosine)
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Metabolic (hypoxia, acidic)
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Structural (stromal barriers)
Tumors don’t just block one signal—they launch a coordinated, multi-layered defense.​​​​
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That’s why single-edits fail—and why we take a multiplexed approach tailored to the tumor’s full arsenal.
TME-Evasion: A New Immune Cell Chassis
Built to Resist Suppression—From the Start
KiraGen knocks out upstream receptors that sense TME signals—PD-1, TGFβR, Fas, A2AR, and more—creating a built-in resistance layer.​
No brute force. No overactivation. Just precision-built resilience.
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We don’t push harder—we engineer smarter.
Two Paths to Overcome TME Suppression
Tumor Cell
Releases suppressive signals—like TGFβ, PD-L1, and adenosine—to shut down immune activity.
CAR-T Cell
Senses and reacts to these signals—unless reprogrammed to resist them.
One reacts. The other is ready.
Supercharging
Strategy
Add activating receptors or remove internal brakes
Precision
Broad stimulation—not targeted to TME
Safety
Risk of off-tumor neurotoxicity (e.g., Regnase-1 KO)
Guarding (KiraGen)
Strategy
Remove external TME-sensing receptors
Precision
Edits tailored to dominant suppressive pathways
Safety
Preserves potency while minimizing toxicity in CNS
​​​​​​​KiraGen's approach is different:​​
We don’t override biology. We rewire it.
We don’t amplify force. We program persistence.