NK:IO

The challenge: Harnessing the ability of natural killer (NK) cells to recognise and kill tumours represents the next major opportunity in cancer immunotherapy. But conventional expansion methods limit the numbers and potency of NK cells, making the process non-industrialisable.

The breakthrough: NK:IO’s co-founders revealed fundamental mechanisms in NK cell development, leading to an industrial-scale protocol for NK cell manufacture using umbilical cord blood stem cells. From these discoveries, NK:IO is developing novel therapeutic candidates targeting hard-to-treat solid tumours, such as ovarian cancer. With over £5M seed funding, NK:IO is advancing its candidates through full preclinical testing.

Our role: Cancer Research Horizons led the 2024 round of investment in NK:IO’s seed funding.