SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO, Calif., June 14, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Nkarta, Inc. (Nasdaq: NKTX), a biopharmaceutical company developing engineered natural killer (NK) cell therapies to treat cancer, today announced that Chief Executive Officer Paul Hastings has been elected as the Chair of the Biotechnology Innovation Organization (BIO) Board of Directors for the 2021-2022 term.

“Paul is a true biotech pioneer with an incredible journey first as a patient, then as a patient advocate, a biotech innovator, CEO, a BIO committee organizer and now as the new Chair of BIO’s Board of Directors,” said Ali Behbahani, MD, co-founder and Chair of Nkarta’s Board of Directors. “We applaud Paul’s election. We have witnessed firsthand the power of Paul’s vision at Nkarta and look forward to seeing him help support the broader biotech industry as it continues to foster innovation and equity for patients.”

BIO is the world's largest advocacy organization representing biotechnology companies, academic institutions, state biotechnology centers and related organizations across the United States and in more than 30 other nations. BIO members are involved in the research and development of innovative healthcare, agricultural, industrial and environmental biotechnology products. Paul Hastings has spent a long career in biotech and brings a wealth of experience both as a leader and as an advocate. He will serve as BIO chair through June 2022, when he will be eligible for re-election for another one-year term.

“I look forward to working closely with Paul as our new Board Chair,” said BIO President and CEO Dr. Michelle McMurry-Heath. “Paul has been an active and highly engaged leader of BIO for more than two decades. His steadfast commitment to innovation, collaboration, education and patient advocacy will be critical to the continued success and future of our industry.”

About Nkarta
Nkarta is a clinical-stage biotechnology company advancing the development of allogeneic, off-the-shelf natural killer (NK) cell therapies for cancer patients. By combining its cell expansion and cryopreservation platform with proprietary cell engineering technologies, Nkarta is building a pipeline of cell therapy candidates generated by efficient manufacturing processes, which are engineered to enhance tumor targeting and improve persistence for sustained activity in the body. For more information, please visit the company’s website at www.Nkartatx.com.

Nkarta Media/Investor Contact:
Greg Mann
Nkarta, Inc.
gmann@nkartatx.com