BRIEF—ONK inks deal for novel NK cell technology

Ireland's ONK Therapeutics has gained exclusive global rights to innovative immuno-oncology technology developed at Australia’s Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research (WEHI).

The patent relates to “CISH knockout (KO) NK cells,” which have been shown to be more efficient in eliminating cancer cells in in-vivo models.

Chief scientific officer Michael O’Dwyer said: “Deletion of CISH in NK cells leads to an improved metabolic profile, greatly enhancing their proliferation, cytotoxicity, and persistence.”

“This patent agreement builds on and strengthens the broad IP we have created at ONK Therapeutics against multiple NK cell checkpoints,” he added.

Under undisclosed financial terms, ONK has secured global rights to the patent covering the use of human NK cells lacking CISH for the purposes of R&D, manufacturing and commercialization.