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nkarta THERAPEUTICS Nkarta Reports Second Quarter 2021 Financial Results and Business Progress August 12 , 2021 • Initial data from NKX101 clinical trial expected by end of 2021 • NKX019 patient dosing expected to start in 2H 2021 • Collaboration with CRISPR Therapeutics to develop gene - edited cell therapies • New lease for commercial manufacturing center / headquarters to support rapid innovation and scaled production of NK cell therapies SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO , Calif . , Aug. 12 , 2021 ( GLOBE NEWSWIRE ) -- Nkarta , Inc. ( Nasdaq : NKTX ) , a biopharmaceutical company developing engineered natural killer ( NK ) cell therapies to treat cancer , today reported financial results for the second quarter ended June 30 , 2021 . " Nkarta continues to set the pace for NK cell therapy as we build on the strengths of our next generation platform and advance our two co - lead clinical programs , " said Paul J. Hastings , President and Chief Executive Officer of Nkarta . “ During the period , we initiated collaboration activities with CRISPR Therapeutics , added new platform capabilities for rapid innovation , and expanded our manufacturing footprint - all designed to stay ahead of the technology curve and transform the scientific insights of cell therapy into meaningful medicines for cancer patients . Nkarta remains on track to report initial clinical data from our Phase 1 study of NKX101 by the end of this year . " RECENT ACCOMPLISHMENTS AND FUTURE MILESTONES NKX101 • Nkarta aims to present initial clinical data from its ongoing clinical trial of NKX101 by year end 2021. In the Phase 1 study , patients receive multiple doses of NKX101 during a 28 - day treatment cycle and are eligible to receive subsequent cycles of treatment upon evidence of tolerability and disease response . NKX019 • Nkarta expects patient dosing in a Phase 1 clinical trial of NKX019 to initiate in the second half of 2021 and has begun manufacturing of clinical supply of NKX019 at its in - house cGMP clinical manufacturing facility in South San Francisco , California . Manufacturing • Nkarta entered a lease agreement to establish a combined manufacturing facility and company headquarters . The manufacturing facility will produce materials for potential pivotal trials and commercial launch of multiple engineered NK cell therapy products . The expanded manufacturing footprint , centered in South San Francisco , California , builds upon Nkarta's existing 2,700 square foot cGMP clinical manufacturing facility . Pipeline and Platform • In May 2021 , Nkarta and CRISPR Therapeutics announced a research and development collaboration to co - develop and co - commercialize two chimeric antigen receptor ( CAR ) NK cell product candidates , one targeting CD70 , and one combining NK and T cells ( NK + T ) , each enhanced with genome engineering . The collaboration also gives Nkarta a license to CRISPR / Cas9 gene editing technology for use in its own engineered NK cell therapy products . • Nkarta continues to integrate important scientific insights , processes and breakthroughs into its next generation platform . Platform capabilities include : • Multiplexed CRISPR / Cas9 genome engineering • " Armored " cells with membrane - bound IL - 15 for persistence • Enhanced expansion , persistence and activity against tumor microenvironment inhibition via CISH deletion • Cytokine activation using IL - 12 , -15 and -18 to enhance anti - tumor activity persistence and memory - like properties o No requirement for cytokine support o Multi - dose and multi - cycle clinical trial designs SECOND QUARTER 2021 FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS