Kahimmune Therapeutics

What Kahimmune Therapeutics does

Kahimmune Therapeutics SAS is a preclinical-stage French biotechnology company founded in late 2025 as a spin-off from Gustave Roussy and SATT Paris-Saclay, headquartered in Avignon, France. The company is built around the proprietary Kahinomics platform, which combines immunopeptidomics and bioinformatics to identify tumor-specific neoantigens originating from non-canonical translation events (Pioneer Translation Products, or PTPs) in the so-called dark genome—approximately 98% of human DNA that has been largely overlooked by conventional antigen discovery approaches. From this expanded antigenic space, Kahimmune selects Kahigens, an exclusive set of recurrent, HLA-presented neoantigens validated by direct mass spectrometry evidence, with the goal of enabling 'off-the-shelf' shared mRNA companion neoantigen therapies (CNTs).

Its lead therapeutic candidate, KAH-001, is a shared mRNA-LNP (lipid nanoparticle) therapy targeting colorectal and pancreatic cancers, intended for use in combination with existing cancer treatments. Candidate selection is targeted for mid-2027, with regulatory preclinical entry planned by mid-2029. To support this, the company has secured exclusive licensing rights to the core platform from Gustave Roussy and SATT Paris-Saclay, and operates a scientific collaboration with Gustave Roussy for access to patient biological samples and preclinical data generation.

The business model is enterprise licensing and co-development: Kahimmune intends to out-license or partner its pipeline assets with pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies, generating revenue through upfront payments, development milestones, and royalties. There are no commercial customers, no disclosed revenue, and no product on market. To date, the company has raised approximately €190,000 in non-dilutive funding from Bpifrance and France 2030, with a seed equity round reportedly underway as of April 2026.

Name

Kahimmune Therapeutics

Legal name

KAHIMMUNE THERAPEUTICS SAS

Website

https://kahimmune.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2025

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Kahimmune Therapeutics is a preclinical French biotech developing shared mRNA companion neoantigen therapies (CNTs) for colorectal and pancreatic cancers, using its proprietary Kahinomics immunopeptidomics platform to discover tumor-specific antigens from the dark genome for out-licensing to pharma partners.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Cancer Immunotherapy / Immuno-Oncology Therapeutics

NAICS

Research and Development in Biotechnology (except Nanobiotechnology) (541714), Biological Product (except Diagnostic) Manufacturing (325414), Pharmaceutical Preparation Manufacturing (325412)

SIC

Biological Products, (No Disgnostic Substances) (2836), Pharmaceutical Preparations (2834)

akta.pro primary industry

Personalized Therapeutic Design (neoantigen vaccines, individualized cell/gene therapies) (HLAAANAK)

akta.pro secondary industries

Drug Discovery (Target ID/Validation & Hit Discovery) (HLAIALAA), In Vivo Discovery & Translational Models Platforms (humanized models, PK/PD, efficacy) (HLAAAIAK), Immunology & Autoimmune Specialty Pharmaceuticals (HLAIACAB)

Keywords

• Immuno-oncology therapeutics
• Neoantigen discovery
• Dark genome research
• MRNA cancer vaccines
• Companion immunotherapy

Headquarters

HQ city

Avignon

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Technology or R&D, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Licensing Royalties: Kahimmune intends to license the assets in its pipeline or create partnerships with pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies interested in their approach to immuno-oncology therapies. Revenue would be generated through upfront payments, milestone payments, and royalties from licensing agreements.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Kahimmune Therapeutics operates a proprietary immunopeptidomics and bioinformatics platform (Kahinomics™) that discovers novel tumor-specific antigens originating from non-canonical regions of the human genome (the dark genome, ~98% of DNA). From this expanded antigenic space, the company selects Kahigens™, an exclusive portfolio of shared, immunogenic neoantigens, to develop next-generation companion neoantigen therapies (CNTs). Lead candidate KAH-001 is a shared mRNA-LNP immunotherapy targeting colorectal and pancreatic cancers, intended to be combined with existing cancer treatments and licensed to pharmaceutical partners.

Product overview

Kahimmune Therapeutics operates a platform-plus-products model centered on its proprietary Kahinomics™ platform, which uses immunopeptidomics and bioinformatics to discover novel tumor-specific antigens from the dark genome. The platform yields Kahigens™, an exclusive portfolio of immunogenic neoantigens that form the basis of the company's therapeutic pipeline. The lead candidate, KAH-001, is a shared mRNA companion neoantigen therapy for colorectal and pancreatic cancers, delivered via mRNA-LNP technology. The company is developing these as combination immunotherapies designed to work synergistically with existing cancer treatments.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Kahigens(TM): Exclusive set of immunogenic neoantigens derived from the dark genome, used to support next-generation companion neoantigen therapies (CNTs).
• Kahinomics(TM)

Products and services

• Kahinomics™ Platform A proprietary immunopeptidomics and bioinformatics platform that discovers novel tumor-specific antigens by exploring non-canonical regions of the human genome (the dark genome, ~98% of DNA), enabling identification of Kahigens™ neoantigens for next-generation companion neoantigen therapies.
• Kahigens™ An exclusive portfolio of immunogenic neoantigens derived from Pioneer Translation Products (PTPs) originating from the dark genome. Kahigens™ are non-canonical in origin, validated by immunopeptidomics, capable of eliciting strong T-cell responses, and shared across individuals to enable off-the-shelf companion neoantigen therapies.
• KAH-001 Kahimmune's first therapeutic candidate, a shared mRNA companion neoantigen therapy targeting colorectal and pancreatic cancers. Delivered via mRNA-LNP technology, it is designed for combination with existing cancer treatments and is expected to enter regulatory preclinical development by mid-2029.
• mRNA-LNP Delivery System Lipid-based nanoparticle (LNP) delivery technology for mRNA-based companion neoantigen therapies, designed to safely and effectively deliver therapeutic neoantigens for cancer treatment.

Quantifiable outcome

• KAH-001 first therapeutic candidate targeting colorectal and pancreatic cancers expected to be selected by mid-2027
• +1 more outcomes

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.

• Gustave RoussycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 April 2026Scientific collaboration agreement enabling Kahimmune access to patients' biological samples for generating preclinical data aimed at selecting first therapeutic candidate KAH-001 against colorectal cancer and pancreatic cancer. Christophe Javaud noted Gustave Roussy's capacity to collaborate with innovative biotech start-ups.
• Gustave RoussycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 February 2026Exclusive licensing agreement granting Kahimmune rights to core Kahinomics™ platform technology and first Kahigens™ neoantigens. Kahimmune is a spin-off of Gustave Roussy. The partnership enables scientific collaboration including access to patients' biological samples for preclinical data generation. Christophe Javaud, executive director at Gustave Roussy Transfert, supports the collaboration.
• SATT Paris-SaclaycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 February 2026Exclusive licensing agreement co-signed with Gustave Roussy. SATT Paris-Saclay has funded and supported the immuno-oncology innovation project since 2017. Kenza Belhaj, director of Life Sciences Investments at SATT Paris-Saclay, expressed pride in the project. Kahimmune is a spin-off of SATT Paris-Saclay as well.
• Incubateur ImpulsesupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe French inter-university incubator supports Kahimmune as a startup. Part of the company's startup ecosystem and support structure.
• EurobiomedsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerEurobiomed competitiveness cluster member. Kahimmune participates in this regional biotech ecosystem cluster.
• Paris Saclay Cancer Cluster (PSCC)supportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerKahimmune is one of five businesses that have joined the BOOST program run by the Paris-Saclay Cancer Cluster. The company is selected and supported by this cluster whose mission is to accelerate development of innovation in oncology. Gustave Roussy is a founding member of PSCC.
• French Tech Grande ProvencesupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional French Tech community that Kahimmune is associated with, representing the company's participation in the French tech ecosystem.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Moderna: Broad mRNA platform player whose oncology program includes mRNA-4157/V940, a personalized neoantigen vaccine in Phase 3 (with Merck). Comparable in modality (mRNA-LNP delivery) and therapeutic class (neoantigen cancer immunotherapy) but operates at vastly greater scale across infectious disease, rare disease, and oncology.
• CureVac: German mRNA biotech with oncology vaccine programs alongside infectious disease and protein-replacement work. Comparable in modality (mRNA cancer vaccines) but operates as a broader incumbent across multiple therapeutic areas rather than focusing on Kahimmune's dark-genome neoantigen niche.

Emerging players

• Personalis: US genomics company whose ImmunoID Next platform uses tumor profiling and immunopeptidomics to identify neoantigens. Comparable in upstream discovery technology (immunopeptidomics-informed antigen identification) though commercializes as a tools/services platform rather than developing its own therapeutic vaccines.

Regional players

• OSE Immunotherapeutics: French clinical-stage biotech developing immuno-oncology and autoimmune therapies, including neoantigen vaccine approaches. Comparable as a French regional peer in the immuno-oncology space with similar preclinical-to-early-clinical development profile.
• Transgene: French clinical-stage immuno-oncology biotech developing therapeutic cancer vaccines and oncolytic viruses. Comparable as a French/European peer building immuno-oncology products for cancer patients, though uses viral vector rather than mRNA-LNP delivery.

Direct peers

• Achilles Therapeutics: UK clinical-stage biotech developing patient-specific neoantigen cell therapies (using clonal neoantigens from tumor biopsies). Directly comparable in therapeutic logic — leveraging tumor-specific antigens to drive anti-tumor immunity — though differs in modality (cell therapy vs mRNA-LNP vaccine).
• BioNTech: German mRNA biotech developing individualized neoantigen cancer vaccines (notably BNT122 in Phase 2 for colorectal cancer). Direct competitor in mRNA-based neoantigen immunotherapy with substantially more capital and clinical lead time, but operates in the same product category and target indication as KAH-001.
• Gritstone bio: US biotech developing neoantigen cancer vaccines (GRANITE, SLATE programs) using immunopeptidomics-informed antigen selection. Highly comparable discovery logic — identifying tumor-specific antigens for vaccine development — though focused on conventional mutation-derived neoantigens rather than dark-genome PTPs.
• Nouscom: European (Basel/Italy) clinical-stage biotech developing off-the-shelf neoantenant cancer vaccines using viral vectors. Closely comparable to Kahimmune's 'shared/off-the-shelf' neoantigen strategy and its European preclinical-stage positioning, providing a useful regional comp.
• Nykode Therapeutics: Norwegian clinical-stage biotech developing therapeutic cancer vaccines based on identified neoantigens delivered via its proprietary Vaccibody platform. Comparable product category (neoantigen immunotherapy for cancer) and similar partnership-driven business model targeting big-pharma licensing.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/kahimmune

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds3 records

Investors3 records

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Kahimmune Therapeutics