Nkarta (NASDAQ:NKTX) Inc., headquartered in South San Francisco, California, is a clinical-stage biotechnology company dedicated to developing allogeneic natural killer (NK) cell therapies for cancer patients. The company’s platform leverages advanced gene-editing and cell-expansion technologies to enhance NK cell persistence, targeting precision, and tumor infiltration, with the goal of creating off-the-shelf treatments that can be rapidly deployed.
Nkarta’s lead product candidates include NKX101, an engineered NK cell therapy in clinical trials for acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS), and NKX019, a chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) NK therapy targeting CD19 in B-cell malignancies. In addition to its hematologic oncology programs, Nkarta is advancing proprietary programs aimed at solid tumors, applying a modular approach to refine specificity and safety profiles for a range of cancer indications.
Founded in 2018 as a spinout from the University of Washington’s CoMotion commercialization arm, Nkarta has secured venture financing to support its research, development, and manufacturing efforts. The company operates a current Good Manufacturing Practice (cGMP) facility in South San Francisco and collaborates with leading academic and clinical institutions across North America to conduct its studies and expand its clinical footprint.
Under the leadership of President and Chief Executive Officer SangCun Na, PhD, and Chief Medical Officer Thomas Ladner, MD, Nkarta’s management team brings deep expertise in immuno-oncology, cell therapy development, and translational research. This experienced leadership, combined with strategic partnerships and a robust pipeline, positions Nkarta to potentially deliver transformative, scalable NK cell therapies to patients worldwide.
