MiNK Therapeutics Presents New Data of allo-iNKT Cell Therapy as a Potential Disease-Modifying Approach in Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis at Keystone Symposia

Core Insights - MiNK Therapeutics presented new data on the role of invariant natural killer T (iNKT) cells in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) at the Emerging Cell Therapies Meeting, indicating a significant depletion of iNKT cells in patients with end-stage IPF [1][2][3] Company Overview - MiNK Therapeutics is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on developing allogeneic iNKT cell therapies and precision-targeted immune technologies [6] - The company's lead candidate, agenT-797, is designed to restore immune balance and is currently in clinical development for conditions such as GvHD, solid tumors, and severe pulmonary inflammation [6][7] Research Findings - The data presented by Dr. Terese Hammond showed that iNKT cells are significantly depleted in lung-associated lymph nodes of patients with advanced IPF, suggesting a loss of natural immunoregulatory mechanisms that may contribute to persistent inflammation and fibrotic remodeling [2][5] - The findings support the potential of iNKT cell replenishment strategies to restore immune balance and aid tissue repair in fibrotic lung diseases, expanding MiNK's platform relevance into chronic fibrotic and senescence-associated indications [3][8] Disease Context - IPF is a progressive and fatal lung disease characterized by irreversible lung scarring and a median survival of 3–5 years, affecting approximately 100,000 patients in the U.S. with 30,000–40,000 new diagnoses annually [4] - There are currently no approved treatments that can reverse fibrosis or restore immune balance in IPF, highlighting a significant unmet medical need [4]