Nkarta Appoints Shawn Rose Chief Medical Officer & Head of R&D as Company Resets Senior Leadership Role for Autoimmune Focus

Core Insights - Nkarta, Inc. has appointed Dr. Shawn Rose as the new Chief Medical Officer and Head of Research and Development, effective June 23, 2025, succeeding Dr. David R. Shook who is leaving to pursue opportunities in oncology [1][4]. Company Overview - Nkarta is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on developing engineered natural killer (NK) cell therapies for autoimmune diseases [7]. - The company is advancing its NKX019 candidate, an allogeneic, cryopreserved immunotherapy that utilizes NK cells from healthy donors, engineered for enhanced targeting and persistence [6]. Leadership Transition - Dr. Rose has extensive experience in immunology and has successfully led multiple programs from discovery to clinical development, including the development of approved medicines like Sotyktu, Stelara, and Tremfya [2][3]. - During the transition, Dr. Rose will collaborate with Dr. Shook, who will serve as a consultant until July 11, 2025 [4]. Strategic Direction - The appointment of Dr. Rose is seen as critical for maximizing the potential of Nkarta's NK cell platform in treating autoimmune diseases [3]. - The company aims to leverage Dr. Rose's expertise in rheumatology and immunology to enhance its clinical development efforts [3][4].