MiNK Therapeutics Awarded Prestigious NIAID Grant to Advance Allo-iNKT Cell Therapy for Prevention of GvHD in Stem Cell Transplant Patients
NEW YORK, June 02, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- MiNK Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ:INKT), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company pioneering allogeneic, off-the-shelf invariant natural killer T (iNKT) cell therapies, today announced it has been awarded a grant from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), a part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The grant will support development of MiNK's allo-iNKT cell therapy platform for the prevention and treatment of graft-versus-host disease (GvHD) following hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT), in collaboration with the University of Wisconsin.
"This non-dilutive funding from NIAID underscores the growing recognition of iNKT cells as a unique and powerful modality in immune regulation," said Jennifer Buell, PhD, President and Chief Executive Officer of MiNK Therapeutics. "The work led by Dr. Gumperz and her team at the University of Wisconsin has provided important mechanistic insights into how allo-iNKT cells may not only prevent graft-versus-host disease (GvHD) but also improve the success of engraftment. Through our preclinical and clinical collaboration, we aim to address the needs of the nearly 50% of patients undergoing allogeneic stem cell transplants who are at risk for this serious and potentially life-threatening complication. This award both validates the promise of our iNKT platform and accelerates its development in a high-priority area of unmet medical need."
GvHD is a severe immune complication that can occur after allogeneic HSCT, often leading to multi-organ damage and high mortality. iNKT cells are uniquely suited for this setting due to their natural ability to regulate immune responses, promote tissue repair, and suppress inflammatory pathways.
"Our partnership with MiNK unites their cutting-edge iNKT manufacturing with our deep expertise in transplant immunology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison," said Jenny E. Gumperz, PhD, Professor of Medical Microbiology & Immunology, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health. "iNKT cells can calm the destructive allo-immune response that drives GvHD, while preserving the patient's ability to fight infection—a balance current therapies struggle to achieve. NIAID's support allows us to speed this science toward the clinic and, ultimately, give transplant patients a safer path to long-term survival."
About MiNK Therapeutics
MiNK Therapeutics is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company pioneering the development of allogeneic invariant natural killer T (iNKT) cell therapies and precision-targeted immune technologies. MiNK's proprietary platform is designed to restore immune balance and drive cytotoxic immune responses across cancer, immune-mediated diseases, and pulmonary immune failure. MiNK's lead asset, AGENT-797, is an off-the-shelf, allogeneic iNKT cell therapy currently in clinical development for the treatment of graft-versus-host disease (GvHD), solid tumors, and critical pulmonary immune collapse. MiNK is also advancing a pipeline of T cell receptor (TCR)-based therapies and neoantigen discovery tools that enable tumor- and tissue-specific immune activation with broad potential application. With a scalable, cryopreserved manufacturing process and a differentiated mechanism that bridges innate and adaptive immunity, MiNK is committed to developing next-generation immune reconstitution therapies that are accessible, durable, and applicable across a wide range of indications. For more information, visit https://minktherapeutics.com or @MiNK_iNKT. Information that may be important to investors will be routinely posted on our website and social media channels.
Forward Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements that are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the federal securities laws, including statements regarding the therapeutic potential, anticipated benefit, plans and timelines of iNKT cells, as well as the collaboration between MiNK and Agenus. These forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially. These forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties, including the factors described under the Risk Factors section of the most recent Form 10-K, Form 10-Q and the S-1 Registration Statement filed with the SEC. MiNK cautions investors not to place considerable reliance on the forward-looking statements contained in this release. These statements speak only as of the date of this press release, and MiNK and Agenus with no obligation to update or revise the statements, other than to the extent required by law. All forward-looking statements are expressly qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement.
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- Gumpertz et al., Harnessing invariant natural killer T cells to control pathological inflammation. Frontiers. 2022.
- Gumpertz et al., iNKT cells coordinate immune pathways to enable engraftment in nonconditioned hosts. Life Sciences Alliance. 2021.
