Nkarta Therapeutics Secures $114 Million Series B Financing to Advance Natural Killer Cell Therapies

On September 9, 2019, VCBeat (WeChat ID: vcbeat) learned from foreign media reports that biopharmaceutical company Nkarta Therapeutics (Nkarta) announced the completion of a $114 million Series B financing round.

This financing round was led by Samsara BioCapital, with participation from Amgen Ventures, Deerfield Management, Life Science Partners (LSP), Logos Capital, RA Capital Management, Novo Holdings A/S, and SR One. Additionally, Dr. Mike Dybbs, Partner at Samsara, and Dr. Fouad Azzam, General Partner at LSP, will join the Board of Directors of Nkarta.

Nkarta will use the funds from this financing round to conduct two clinical trials of its natural killer (NK) cell therapy, NKX101, to evaluate clinical efficacy in patients with hematologic malignancies or other solid tumors. Additionally, Nkarta plans to establish a GMP manufacturing facility in South San Francisco, USA, and advance the early-stage clinical development of its drug candidates.

It is reported that Nkarta completed an $11 million Series A financing round in January 2015.

Nkarta, founded in 2015 and headquartered in South San Francisco, California, is a biopharmaceutical company. The company is dedicated to developing cell therapies for the treatment of various hematologic diseases and solid tumors. Currently, Nkarta is exploring novel NK cell therapies to improve patient efficacy and tolerability.

NK cells are a class of important immune cells derived from the bone marrow that can non-specifically kill tumor cells and virus-infected cells without prior sensitization. These cells can also recognize target cells, participate in immune regulation, and, in certain cases, combat hypersensitivity reactions and autoimmune diseases.

Currently, the most effective cell therapies for cancer treatment are predominantly T-cell-based therapies, such as chimeric antigen receptor T-cell (CAR-T) therapy. However, this approach is limited to a few hematologic malignancies and is prone to causing severe adverse effects, including cytokine release syndrome and neurotoxicity. In contrast, natural killer (NK) cells offer controllable activity and superior targeting of tumor cells, thereby holding broad prospects for the treatment of various types of cancer.

Nkarta combines its NK cell expansion technology with specialized cell engineering techniques to produce large quantities of NK cells and enhance their precision in recognizing tumor targets, thereby achieving the goal of cancer treatment. Nkarta also plans to develop drug candidates based on NK cell therapy to improve patient outcomes.

Paul Hastings, President and Chief Executive Officer of Nkarta, stated, “Nkarta has been committed to providing patients with innovative NK cell therapies that offer high efficacy and a strong safety profile. We anticipate filing multiple new drug applications next year for the treatment of a range of hematologic diseases and cancers. We are deeply grateful for the financial support from both new and existing investors. Nkarta will continue to advance clinical trials of next-generation cell therapies, providing new treatment options for cancer patients.”

Samsara BioCapital, headquartered in California, USA, is a venture capital and financial services firm primarily investing in the biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries.

Amgen Ventures, established in 2004 and headquartered in California, USA, is the venture capital arm of the biotechnology giant Amgen. The firm focuses on investments in the biotechnology sector and maintains offices in Washington State and Massachusetts.

Deerfield Management, headquartered in Illinois, USA, is a venture capital firm dedicated to advancing the healthcare sector.

LSP, headquartered in the Netherlands, is an independent European private equity firm that primarily provides financing to life sciences companies. With total investments exceeding $1.2 billion, the firm currently maintains offices in Amsterdam, Munich, and Boston.

Logos Capital, headquartered in San Francisco, USA, is an investment fund focused on the biotechnology sector. The firm aims to combine data analytics with clinical expertise to drive the development of the healthcare industry.

RA Capital Management, founded in 2001 and headquartered in Massachusetts, USA, is a venture capital and private equity firm. The company employs professionals with expertise in biology, chemistry, and medicine, and specializes in investing in the life sciences and drug development industries.

Novo Holdings A/S, established in 1999 and headquartered in Copenhagen, Denmark, is a venture capital and private equity firm. The company primarily provides financial support to biotechnology and healthcare enterprises.

SR One, established in 1985 and headquartered in Massachusetts, USA, is the venture capital arm of pharmaceutical giant GlaxoSmithKline. The firm primarily invests in emerging life sciences and technology innovation enterprises.

(Compiled by Xu Xiaoxue)