MiNK Therapeutics
🇺🇸United States
- Country
- 🇺🇸United States
- Ownership
- Public, Subsidiary
- Established
- 2017-01-01
- Employees
- 31
- Market Cap
- $32.4M
- Introduction
MiNK Therapeutics, Inc. is a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company, which engages in the discovery, development, and commercialization of allogeneic invariant natural killer T cell therapies to treat cancer and other immune mediated diseases. The company was founded in 2017 and is headquartered in New York, NY.
SystImmune to Present Promising Data on Iza-bren for HER2-Negative Breast Cancer at ESMO Breast 2025
• SystImmune will present updated safety and efficacy data for izalontamab brengitecan (iza-bren), an EGFRxHER3 bispecific antibody-drug conjugate, in locally advanced or metastatic breast cancer at ESMO Breast 2025 on May 16.
• Early clinical results show encouraging efficacy across all HER2 levels in HER2-negative breast cancer patients, including HER2 0 patients, suggesting potential therapeutic benefits for patients with limited treatment options.
• Iza-bren, being jointly developed by SystImmune and Bristol Myers Squibb, works by blocking EGFR and HER3 signals to cancer cells while delivering a therapeutic payload that induces cancer cell death.
LIfT BioSciences Appoints Dr. Mark Exley as CSO to Advance Novel Neutrophil Therapy into Clinical Trials
• Dr. Mark Exley, a translational immunologist with 30 years of R&D experience, joins LIfT BioSciences as Chief Scientific Officer effective April 7, 2025.
• LIfT BioSciences is preparing for clinical trials of its first-in-class Neutrophil-based Leukocyte Infusion Therapy (N-LIfT) platform, designed to overcome treatment resistance in solid tumors.
• The appointment follows LIfT's recent collaboration with Gift of Life Biologics, providing access to half a million allogeneic donors to support the company's innovative cell therapy development.
Kiniksa Reports Strong ARCALYST Growth, Advances KPL-387 for Recurrent Pericarditis Development
• ARCALYST achieved remarkable growth with $417 million in 2024 net product revenue, representing a 79% year-over-year increase, with projected 2025 revenue between $560-580 million.
• Kiniksa plans to initiate Phase 2/3 clinical trial of KPL-387 for recurrent pericarditis in mid-2025, offering potential monthly subcutaneous dosing option for patients.
• Company announces strategic focus on cardiovascular indications while discontinuing abiprubart development in Sjögren's Disease, maintaining positive cash flow expectations.
Agenus to Present New Data on BOT/BAL Combination Therapy at AACR IO Meeting
• Agenus will showcase interim data from a Phase 2 study combining BOT/BAL with iNKT cell therapy AgenT-797 in refractory gastric cancer patients at the AACR IO Annual Meeting.
• A Trial-in-Progress poster will present findings from an ongoing Phase 1/2 study evaluating BOT/BAL as a first-line treatment for microsatellite stable colorectal cancer.
• The presentations highlight Agenus's innovative approach using botensilimab, an Fc-enhanced CTLA-4 inhibitor, designed to extend immunotherapy benefits to traditionally unresponsive "cold" tumors.
MiNK Therapeutics' Allo-iNKT Cell Therapy Shows Promise in Refractory Gastric Cancer
• MiNK Therapeutics' agenT-797, combined with botensilimab and balstilimab, demonstrates robust immune activation in refractory gastroesophageal cancer.
• The Phase 2 study reveals increased interferon-gamma levels and enhanced T-cell infiltration, suggesting improved clinical outcomes.
• Early administration of agenT-797 alongside checkpoint inhibitors before chemotherapy amplifies immune responses, optimizing T-cell priming.
• The off-the-shelf allogeneic iNKT platform offers a scalable and accessible treatment option for patients with hard-to-treat cancers.
Balstilimab Plus Botensilimab Shows Enhanced Response in MSS mCRC Without Liver Metastases
• Preliminary phase 2 data shows balstilimab combined with botensilimab yields a higher objective response rate in MSS mCRC patients without liver metastases.
• The combination of botensilimab 75 mg Q6W plus balstilimab showed a confirmed ORR of 19% and a disease control rate of 55%.
• The median duration of response has not been reached, with 70% of responses ongoing, indicating durable efficacy of the combination therapy.
• A phase 3 trial is planned using botensilimab 75 mg with balstilimab 240 mg, based on the favorable safety and efficacy profile observed.
ImmunityBio's Anktiva Pursues European and UK Approval for BCG-Unresponsive Bladder Cancer
• ImmunityBio's Anktiva, combined with BCG, seeks approval in the EU and UK for treating BCG-unresponsive non-muscle invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC) with carcinoma in situ (CIS).
• The MAAs submitted to the EMA and MHRA are supported by Phase 2/3 QUILT-3.032 trial data, demonstrating a 71% complete response rate in patients with NMIBC with CIS.
• Regulatory assessments by both agencies are anticipated to conclude by Q4 2025, potentially leading to approval in Europe and the UK by 2026, expanding global access.
• ImmunityBio also plans to submit a supplemental BLA to the FDA in 2025, seeking approval for Anktiva in patients with BCG-unresponsive NMIBC in the papillary indication.
Passage Bio's PBFT02 Shows Promise in Frontotemporal Dementia Trial
• Passage Bio's PBFT02 demonstrated a durable increase in cerebrospinal fluid progranulin (PGRN) levels in FTD-GRN patients during the Phase 1/2 upliFT-D trial.
• Interim data showed a reduction in plasma neurofilament light chain (NfL) levels, a key biomarker, suggesting a potential therapeutic effect compared to natural history data.
• The company plans to evaluate a lower dose (Dose 2) and anticipates reporting 12-month data from Dose 1, along with Dose 2 interim data, in the second half of 2025.
• Passage Bio has completed process development for PBFT02, extended its cash runway into Q1 2027, and is on track to initiate dosing in FTD-C9orf72 patients in H1 2025.
Roche's $1.5B Acquisition of Poseida Therapeutics Highlights Cell Therapy's Potential; Arovella Therapeutics (ALA) Poised for Phase 1 Trial
• Roche acquired Poseida Therapeutics for US$1.5 billion, signaling strong interest in cell therapy, particularly allogeneic approaches for blood cancers.
• Arovella Therapeutics (ALA) is preparing to commence Phase 1 trials in 2025 with its iNKT cell therapy platform, targeting CD19-expressing blood cancers.
• ALA's early preclinical data demonstrates promising results, including spontaneous secondary remission in mice, suggesting potential long-term efficacy.
• ALA has strengthened its clinical advisory board with the appointment of Professor Sattva Neelapu, an expert in CAR-T therapy development and FDA approval.
Outlook Therapeutics Faces Setback in AMD Trial; Other R&D Updates
• Outlook Therapeutics' ONS-5010 failed to meet the noninferiority endpoint in a Phase III wet AMD trial, impacting company shares but BLA resubmission is still planned for early 2025.
• The EMA revoked conditional marketing approval for Advanz Pharma's Ocaliva for primary biliary cholangitis (PBC) after a legal challenge failed.
• Arovella Therapeutics is advancing ALA-101, a CAR-19-iNKT cell therapy, towards clinical trials for blood cancers and solid tumors, showing enhanced efficacy in preclinical studies.
NK Cell Therapy Pipeline Shows Promise with Over 160 Therapies in Development
• The NK cell therapy field is experiencing significant growth, driven by its potential to address unmet needs in cancer treatment with safer, more targeted options.
• Over 140 companies are actively involved in developing more than 160 NK cell therapies, indicating robust R&D investment and confidence in this therapeutic area.
• Clinical trials are progressing for various NK cell therapies, including CAR-NK cell therapies and those targeting autoimmune disorders, showcasing versatility.
• Regulatory support, such as FDA orphan drug designation and fast track designation, is facilitating the development and potential approval of NK cell therapies.
Ractigen's RAG-18 Receives FDA Orphan Drug Designation for Duchenne and Becker Muscular Dystrophy
• Ractigen Therapeutics' RAG-18, a small activating RNA (saRNA) therapy, has been granted Orphan Drug Designation by the FDA for treating Duchenne and Becker muscular dystrophy.
• RAG-18 previously received Rare Pediatric Disease Designation, making it the first saRNA therapy to achieve both designations, highlighting its potential for treating rare genetic conditions.
• The therapy aims to increase utrophin production by targeting the UTRN gene, offering a functional substitute for the deficient dystrophin protein in DMD and BMD patients.
• Preclinical data presented at OTS 2023 demonstrated RAG-18's ability to induce utrophin expression and ameliorate muscle damage in a mouse model of DMD.
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