MiNK Therapeutics has announced promising preclinical results for MiNK-215, a novel FAP-targeting CAR-iNKT cell therapy designed to overcome the immunosuppressive barriers that protect solid tumors from immune attack. The data, published in Cancer Immunology Research, demonstrates the therapy's ability to dismantle tumor-protective stromal barriers and activate multiple immune pathways in treatment-resistant cancers.
Targeting the Stromal Barrier
MiNK-215 is engineered to eliminate FAP-positive cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs), which build the dense, immunosuppressive stroma that blocks immune infiltration in solid tumors and contributes heavily to immunotherapy failure. The therapy combines MiNK's proprietary allogeneic iNKT platform with IL-15 secretion to enhance persistence, immune activation, and durability.
The preclinical studies revealed that MiNK-215 tackles two fundamental barriers to effective cancer immunotherapy: the physical stroma that blocks immune entry and the dysfunctional immune circuitry inside the tumor. The therapy selectively eliminates FAP+ cancer-associated fibroblasts, clearing the path for robust immune infiltration.
Immune System Reprogramming
In preclinical models of refractory lung and MSS colon cancer liver metastases, MiNK-215 demonstrated comprehensive immune system reprogramming. The therapy remodeled the tumor microenvironment, activated dendritic cells and antigen-presentation pathways, and re-polarized macrophages to a pro-inflammatory, cancer-killing state. Additionally, it enabled deep infiltration of tumor-specific T cells into previously immune-excluded tumors.
"The findings published today underscore the real potential of MiNK-215 to reshape how we treat solid tumors that have resisted immunotherapy for decades," said Jennifer Buell, PhD, President and CEO of MiNK Therapeutics. "By dismantling the fibroblast barriers that shield these cancers and activating multiple arms of the immune system, MiNK-215 goes beyond traditional checkpoint approaches."
Off-the-Shelf Manufacturing Advantage
As an allogeneic, off-the-shelf therapy, MiNK-215 can be manufactured at scale and delivered on demand, offering a new therapeutic strategy for patients with solid tumors that have long been unresponsive to checkpoint inhibitors and other immune-based treatments. This manufacturing approach represents a significant advantage over autologous cell therapies that require individual patient cell collection and processing.
Company Pipeline and Platform
MiNK Therapeutics is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company pioneering allogeneic invariant natural killer T (iNKT) cell therapies. The company's proprietary iNKT platform bridges innate and adaptive immunity to address cancer, autoimmune disease, and immune collapse. Its lead candidate, AgenT-797, is currently in clinical trials for solid tumors, graft-versus-host disease, and critical pulmonary immune failure.
The company's pipeline also includes TCR-based and neoantigen-targeted iNKT programs that enable tissue-specific immune activation, advancing what the company describes as a new class of immune reconstitution therapies designed to deliver durable, accessible, and globally deployable treatments.
