Welcome to ITERONCO

Opening Tumors to Treatment

Reprogramming the Tumor Microenvironment to Unlock Cancer Therapies

Who We Are — Pioneering Tumor Access

IterOnco is a preclinical-stage biotechnology company developing therapies designed to overcome the structural barriers of solid tumors. Our approach targets the tumor microenvironment itself — the hostile terrain that limits the efficacy of treatments ranging from immunotherapy to chemotherapy.

Our lead program, Itero-101, is designed to remodel this microenvironment and restore conditions favorable to therapeutic access — starting with immune cell infiltration, with potential applications extending to other treatment modalities. Our second technology platform focuses on next-generation ex vivo expansion of NK cells to improve their availability and potency for clinical use.

Our Story

Founded in 2024 by Dr. Manale Karam after 16 years of international cancer research, driven by the conviction that the tumor microenvironment holds the key to unlocking treatment.

Our Vision

A world where the physical barriers of solid tumors no longer prevent therapies from reaching and eliminating cancer, with improved quality of life for patients.

Our Mission

Developing innovative technologies to reprogram the tumor microenvironment and optimize immune cell production, enabling effective and less toxic treatment of solid tumors.

Our Story

16 years of international experience

Tumor Microenvironment Remodeling

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Cell Expansion Technology

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Therapeutic Approach

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The Challenge

More than 90% of cancers are solid tumors. Despite major therapeutic advances, most treatments including immunotherapy, targeted therapies, and even chemotherapy show limited efficacy against them.

IterOnco was born from a scientific and clinical observation: in solid tumors, the structure of the tumor itself creates a physical and biological barrier that prevents treatments and immune cells from reaching it effectively. To compensate, therapies are often administered at high doses — increasing toxicity without guaranteeing better efficacy.

The reason is structural. Solid tumors build a hostile microenvironment that acts as a physical fortress:

Abnormal and dysfunctional vasculature that restricts drug delivery

Dense, fibrotic extracellular matrix that impedes drug delivery and cell movement

An immunosuppressive milieu that disarms infiltrating immune cells

Until these barriers are addressed, even the most potent therapies will struggle to reach the tumor core.

Why Choose Us

A Microenvironment-First Strategy

Most current approaches focus on optimizing therapeutic agents themselves. IterOnco takes a fundamentally different path: preparing the tumor to receive them.

We believe that modifying the battlefield not just the soldiers is the key to unlocking the next generation of cancer treatment in solid tumors.

Our lead strategy combines our two technology platforms to address both sides of the equation: tumor accessibility and immune cell readiness.
Beyond immunotherapy, the microenvironment remodeling properties of Itero-101 open the door to future combinations with other treatment modalities, including chemotherapy and targeted agents.

Why Choose Us

Initial Target Indication

Itero-101’s ability to reprogram the tumor microenvironment holds promise for many solid tumors.

Our first development focus is pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), one of the most aggressive and treatment-resistant solid tumors, with a five-year survival rate below 13%.

PDAC is characterized by an exceptionally dense and immunosuppressive microenvironment, making it an ideal proving ground for our approach. It represents a major unmet medical need and a strong rationale for clinical translation.

By proving our approach in this challenging setting, we aim to build the foundation for extending it to other solid tumors in the future where the unmet medical need remains immense.

Recent Milestones / News

2026 — Collaboration with the TIM group at Luxembourg Institute of Health on Itero-101's mechanism in the tumor microenvironment
2026 — Biological resource agreement signed with Établissement Français du Sang (EFS)
2025 — Joined Spartners / BioLabs Paris-Saclay (Servier) BSL-2 shared laboratory
2025 — Awarded Bourse French Tech Emergence (Bpifrance)
2025 — Selected for IncubAlliance Paris-Saclay deeptech incubation program
2025 — Scientific collaboration initiated with LBPA (CNRS – ENS Paris-Saclay) on NK cell expansion technology
2025 — Patent filed covering the therapeutic applications of Itero-101 in oncology
2025 — Selected for the PSCC Oncoentrepreneur Program (Paris-Saclay Cancer Cluster)
2024 — Preclinical proof of concept established in a murine model of pancreatic cancer