SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO – Nkarta, Inc. (NASDAQ:NKTX), a clinical-stage biotechnology company, today announced a strategic enhancement of its executive team with the appointment of Nadir Mahmood, Ph.D., as President and the promotion of David R. Shook, M.D., to Chief Medical Officer, Head of Research & Development, both reporting to CEO Paul J. Hastings.
The company, specializing in engineered natural killer (NK) cell therapies, is positioning itself to capitalize on the potential of its NKX019 therapy in treating autoimmune diseases. With these leadership changes, Nkarta aims to streamline its clinical trials and fortify its path to commercialization.
Dr. Mahmood, formerly CEO of Rezo Therapeutics and a previous executive at Nkarta, will now spearhead the company's strategic focus and operational excellence. His prior experience includes roles in corporate strategy, equity research at Goldman Sachs (NYSE:GS), and scientific positions at Second Genome and Kythera Biopharmaceuticals.
Dr. Shook's expanded responsibilities will encompass the oversight of Nkarta's research and development organization, building on his experience in clinical development and NK cell biology. The company also acknowledged the contributions of James Trager, Ph.D., who transitions to an advisory role.
Nkarta's ongoing clinical efforts include the Ntrust-1 trial for lupus nephritis and the upcoming Ntrust-2 trial for systemic sclerosis, idiopathic inflammatory myopathy, and ANCA-associated vasculitis, with preliminary data expected in 2025.
NKX019 is an off-the-shelf immunotherapy candidate designed for enhanced targeting and persistence, featuring a humanized CD19-directed chimeric antigen receptor and a proprietary form of interleukin-15.
This article is based on a press release statement from Nkarta, Inc.
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