MiNK Therapeutics has published a landmark case report in Nature's Oncogene demonstrating complete and durable remission in a patient with metastatic, treatment-refractory testicular cancer following treatment with agenT-797, the company's allogeneic invariant natural killer T (iNKT) cell therapy. The case adds to growing clinical evidence supporting the therapeutic potential of iNKT cell therapy in solid tumors.
Breakthrough Response in Heavily Pretreated Patient
The publication, titled "Salvage therapy with allogeneic invariant natural killer T cells in a heavily pre-treated germ cell tumor," presents a patient case from MiNK's clinical trial (NCT05108623). The patient had exhausted multiple lines of therapy, including platinum-based chemotherapy, autologous stem cell transplant, and multiple immune checkpoint inhibitors targeting PD-1, CTLA-4, and TIGIT pathways.
Following a single infusion of agenT-797 administered alongside nivolumab, the patient achieved complete clinical, radiologic, and biochemical remission. Remarkably, the patient has shown no evidence of disease over two years later, representing a durable response in a cancer type with limited treatment options after standard therapies fail.
"This case exemplifies the powerful potential of iNKT cells in treating even the most challenging cancers," said Dr. Benjamin Garmezy, Assistant Director of Genitourinary Research for Sarah Cannon Research Institute at SCRI Oncology Partners. "We observed a remarkable response in a patient who had exhausted standard and experimental treatments, offering compelling evidence to further pursue clinical studies of iNKT cell therapies in solid tumors."
Safety Profile and Mechanism of Action
The treatment demonstrated a favorable safety profile with no cytokine release syndrome (CRS) or graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) observed. Donor iNKT cells remained detectable in the patient's system up to six months post-infusion, suggesting sustained immune activation.
AgenT-797 is an allogeneic iNKT cell therapy that harnesses both innate and adaptive immunity. iNKT cells function as "master regulators," combining the cytotoxic capabilities of NK cells with T-cell-like antigen recognition and memory. This unique biology enables a robust, pathogen-agnostic immune response that can be directed against hard-to-treat tumors.
Expanding Clinical Evidence in Solid Tumors
The testicular cancer case is part of a growing body of clinical evidence supporting agenT-797's potential across solid tumor types. At the 2025 inaugural AACR Immuno-Oncology meeting, MiNK presented data from its Phase 2 trial in second-line gastric cancer, demonstrating immune activation, increased tumor infiltration, and early signals of tumor control in patients previously refractory to checkpoint inhibitors.
Extended survival beyond 12 months was observed in several gastric cancer patients—an outcome rarely seen in this treatment setting. These clinical observations were reinforced by a separate peer-reviewed case report published in Oncogene, describing a patient with metastatic gastric cancer who achieved a 42% tumor reduction and more than nine months of progression-free survival following a single infusion of agenT-797 in combination with nivolumab.
Manufacturing and Development Pipeline
Manufactured by MiNK Therapeutics in Lexington, Massachusetts, agenT-797 is designed as a scalable, off-the-shelf product to provide accessible treatment options. The therapy is currently in clinical development for graft-versus-host disease, solid tumors, and severe pulmonary inflammation.
The ongoing Phase 2 trial in gastric cancer (NCT06251973) is actively enrolling patients, with additional readouts expected in upcoming months. The company is also advancing a pipeline of T cell receptor (TCR)-based therapies and neoantigen discovery tools that enable highly specific immune targeting across tumor and tissue types.
