Kahimmune Therapeutics, a biotechnology company developing next-generation immuno-oncology therapies, today announces the signing of an exclusive licensing agreement with Gustave Roussy, the European leader in oncology, and SATT Paris-Saclay, experts in technology transfer.
Created at the end of 2025, Kahimmune draws on the latest discoveries in immunology relating to the dark genome. Non-coding RNAs represent 98% of our DNA, yet we currently know very little about them. The 2024 Nobel Prize in Medicine was awarded to researchers in this field, which is getting more traction.
The technology transfer agreement signed by Gustave Roussy and SATT Paris-Saclay grants Kahimmune an exclusive license over the core technology of its KahinomicsTM platform and the first neoantigens derived from it, known as KahigensTM. This innovative platform enables the discovery of novel tumor-specific antigens inside the dark genome, which are safer and more effective.
Kahimmune intends to develop shared mRNA cancer vaccines which will use these neoantigens. The purpose of these companion vaccines is to improve patient survival and quality of life. They will be combined with cancer treatments to optimize them, making them safer and more effective. The company’s first vaccine candidate will target colorectal cancer and pancreatic cancer.
“Creating Kahimmune further demonstrates our capacity to enhance the leading scientific work coming out of public cancer research,” said Christophe Javaud, head of the Technology Transfer Office at Gustave Roussy Transfert. “This approach is particularly innovative because it explores the cancer immunopeptidome in developing next-generation immuno-oncology therapies.”
Kahimmune uses technologies that stem from research undertaken by Dr. Sébastien Apcher, a researcher at Inserm (the French National Institute of Health and Medical Research) and group leader of the Non-conventional Epitopes Cancer Immune Responses unit at Gustave Roussy. For more than 15 years, he has been studying an original antigen source model – Pioneer Translation Products (PTPs) – which play a role in anti-tumor immune responses.
“SATT Paris-Saclay is extremely proud of having funded and supported this immuno-oncology innovation project, which addresses a major clinical need, since 2017. The creation of the Kahimmune Therapeutics start-up marks a crucial step in furthering the development of this innovation and making it available to patients,” said Kenza Belhaj, director of Life Sciences Investments at SATT Paris-Saclay.
According to the WHO, colorectal cancer is currently the third most diagnosed cancer and the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide, with 1.9 million new cases and 900,000 deaths a year. These figures are likely to grow by more than 70% and 90% respectively by 2050. As for pancreatic cancer, it is ranked 13th in the most diagnosed cancers, with more than 510,000 new cases a year. It has an extremely poor outcome and represents the 6th leading cause of cancer-related deaths, with more than 467,000 deaths a year. Here too, projections indicate growth of more than 65% and 70% respectively by 2050.
“Kahimmune targets cancers that are unfortunately extremely common, aggressive and fast growing. The exclusive transfer agreement with Gustave Roussy and SATT Paris-Saclay enables us to enter this market with solid R&D assets and a significant competitive advantage,” added Philippe Villain-Guillot, Kahimmune founder and CEO. “A seed funding round is already underway. Longer term, we aim to license the assets in our pipeline or create partnerships with pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies interested in our approach.”
Pictured: Philippe Villain-Guillot, Kahimmune founder and CEO. © Edouard Hannoteaux
