Nektar Therapeutics is at the forefront of developing innovative therapies that focus on selectively modulating the immune system to address serious medical conditions, particularly autoimmune disorders, chronic inflammatory diseases, and cancer. One of their key technologies is Rezpegaldesleukin (NKTR-358), a first-in-class regulatory T (Treg) cell stimulator. This therapy aims to restore the balance of the immune system by preferentially stimulating the proliferation of Treg cells, which are crucial for suppressing disease-causing T cells and maintaining self-tolerance. By targeting the IL-2 receptor complex, NKTR-358 enhances the activity of Treg cells without activating cytotoxic CD8+ T and CD4+ T cells, thereby addressing the underlying imbalances that contribute to autoimmune diseases such as lupus and psoriasis.

In addition to NKTR-358, Nektar is advancing other immunomodulating therapies, including NKTR-255, an IL-15 receptor agonist designed to enhance the proliferation and activity of natural killer (NK) cells and CD8+ T cells. This technology leverages polymer drug conjugates to prolong the duration of therapeutic action in the body, optimizing the immune response against tumors. Nektar's proprietary chemistry platform allows for the fine-tuning of receptor selectivity, enabling the development of highly selective medicines that can effectively modulate immune pathways. Through these innovative approaches, Nektar Therapeutics aims to bring hope to millions of patients by addressing unmet medical needs with novel therapeutic options.

United States

We are a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company with a proven track record of discovering and developing new medicines that treat patients living with debilitating diseases and conditions. We build on a chemistry platform that was invented in our labs along with our scientific expertise to focus on developing unique and more precise medicines.

Cancer

Hematologic Diseases

Immune System Diseases

Infectious Diseases

Pathological Conditions

Skin Diseases

Nektar Therapeutics

Urothelial carcinoma

NKTR-255 is a novel polyethylene glycol (PEG)-conjugate of recombinant &nbsp;human interleukin-15 (rhIL-15), which was designed to retain all known &nbsp;receptor binding interactions of the IL-15 molecule. The investigational &nbsp;candidate is uniquely designed to overcome known challenges of &nbsp;recombinant IL-15 and other IL-15 agonists, which are rapidly cleared &nbsp;from the body and have shown diminishing response to successive doses. &nbsp;Through an extended circulating half-life and optimal engagement of the &nbsp;IL-15Rα/IL-2Rβγ receptor complex, NKTR-255 enhances functional NK cell &nbsp;populations and formation of long-term CD8+ mediated immunological &nbsp;memory, which may lead to sustained anti-tumor immune response.

NKTR-255 + Avelumab

Atopic dermatitis

Autoimmune disease

Autoimmune and inflammatory diseases cause the immune system to mistakenly attack and damage healthy cells in a person's body. A failure of the body's self-tolerance mechanisms enables the formation of the pathogenic T lymphocytes that conduct this attack. NKTR-358 is a potential first-in-class therapeutic that may address an underlying immune system imbalance in people with many autoimmune conditions. It targets the interleukin (IL-2) receptor complex in the body in order to stimulate proliferation of inhibitory immune cells known as regulatory T cells. By activating these cells, NKTR-358 may act to bring the immune system back into balance. Nektar entered into a strategic collaboration with Lilly in 2017 to develop and commercialize NKTR-358.
NKTR-358 is being developed by Lilly as a self-administered injection for a number of autoimmune and inflammatory diseases. A Phase 2 study of NKTR-358 is underway in adults with systemic lupus erythematosus (ISLAND-SLE) (NCT04433585). The investigational therapy is also currently being evaluated in two separate Phase 1b studies in patients with atopic dermatitis (NCT04081350) and psoriasis (NCT04119557).

Rezpegaldesleukin (NKTR-358)

Alopecia areata

Rezpegaldesleukin (NKTR-358) 

B-cell lymphoma

NKTR-255 is a biologic that targets the IL-15 pathway in order to activate the body's innate and adaptive immunity. Through optimal engagement of the IL-15 receptor complex, NKTR-255 is designed to enhance functional NK cell populations and formation of long-term immunological memory, which may lead to sustained and durable anti-tumor immune response.

NKTR-255

Multiple myeloma

Non-Hodgkin lymphoma

NKTR-255 is an IL-15 receptor agonist designed to activate the IL-15 pathway and expand natural killer (NK) cells and promote the survival and expansion of memory CD8+ T cells without inducing suppressive regulatory T cells. Through optimal engagement of the IL-15Rα/IL-2Rβγ receptor complex, NKTR-255 enhances formation of long-term immunological memory, which may lead to sustained anti-tumor immune response. NKTR-255 is uniquely designed to overcome the challenges of recombinant IL-15, which is rapidly cleared from the body and must be administered frequently and in high doses, limiting its utility due to toxicity and convenience of use (<a href="https://www.nektar.com/pipeline/rd-pipeline/nktr-255">see details</a>).&nbsp;

NKTR-255 (IL-15 agonist) +/- Daratumumab

Colorectal cancer

Head and neck cancer

Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma

NKTR-255 is an investigational IL-15 receptor agonist designed to activate the IL-15 pathway and expand NK cells and promote the survival and expansion of memory CD8+ T cells without inducing suppressive regulatory T cells. Through optimal engagement of the IL-15Rα/IL-2Rβγ receptor complex, NKTR-255 enhances functional NK cell population and formation of long-term immunological memory, which may lead to sustained anti-tumor immune response. NKTR-255 is uniquely designed to overcome the challenges of recombinant IL-15 and other IL-15 agonists, which are rapidly cleared from the body and have shown diminishing response to successive doses.1 NKTR-255 is wholly-owned by Nektar.
Cetuximab is a monoclonal antibody against epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and is approved for the treatment of advanced HNSCC and CRC.

NKTR-255 (IL-15R agonist) + Cetuximab (Erbitux) (EGFR inhibitor)

Non-small cell lung carcinoma

NKTR-255 (IL-15 agonist) + C-TIL051

Inflammatory disease

NKTR-0165

Systemic lupus erythematosus

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a chronic inflammatory disease that occurs when the body's own immune system mistakenly attacks healthy tissue in skin, joints, kidneys, the brain and other organs. It is a difficult disease to diagnose because it resembles several other conditions.
CD40L is a protein in B and T cells, which helps regulate the immune system. Dapirolizumab pegol (Anti-CD40L) is an antibody that blocks CD40L, potentially lessening disease activity in SLE patients. Dapirolizumab pegol is being developed by Biogen and UCB, Inc. in a Phase 2 clinical trial to evaluate the efficacy and safety of dapirolizumab pegol in patients with moderately to severely active systemic lupus erythematosus. For more information about this study, visit <a href="https://www.clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02804763?term=Dapirolizumab+Pegol&amp;rank=1" target="_blank">clinicaltrials.gov</a>.

Dapirolizumab Pegol (anti-CD40L)

Bladder cancer

Bempegaldesleukin is a CD122-preferential IL-2 pathway agonist designed to stimulate the patient's own immune system to fight cancer. Bempegaldesleukin is designed to grow specific cancer-killing T cells and natural killer (NK) cell populations in the body which fight cancer, which are known as endogenous tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs). Bempegaldesleukin stimulates these cancer-killing immune cells in the body by targeting CD122 specific receptors found on the surface of these immune cells, known as CD8+ effector T cells and NK&nbsp;cells. CD122, which is also known as the Interleukin-2 receptor beta subunit, is a key signaling receptor that is known to increase proliferation of these effector T cells.1&nbsp;In clinical and preclinical studies, treatment with bempegaldesleukin resulted in expansion of these cells and mobilization into the tumor micro-environment.2,3 Bempegaldesleukin has an antibody-like dosing regimen similar to the existing checkpoint inhibitor class of approved medicines.

Bempegaldesleukin (NKTR-214)+ Opdivo (Nivolumab) 

Bempegaldesleukin is a CD122-preferential IL-2 pathway agonist designed to stimulate the patient's own immune system to fight cancer. Bempegaldesleukin is designed to grow specific cancer-killing T cells and natural killer (NK) cell populations in the body which fight cancer, which are known as endogenous tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs). Bempegaldesleukin stimulates these cancer-killing immune cells in the body by targeting CD122 specific receptors found on the surface of these immune cells, known as CD8+ effector T cells and NK&nbsp;cells. CD122, which is also known as the Interleukin-2 receptor beta subunit, is a key signaling receptor that is known to increase proliferation of these effector T cells (<a href="https://www.nektar.com/pipeline/rd-pipeline/nktr-214">learn more</a>).
Keytruda (Pembro) is an anti-PD1 antibody that is approved for first line treatment of NSCLC in patients who are PD-L1 positive (<a href="https://docs.google.com/viewer?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.merck.com%2Fproduct%2Fusa%2Fpi_circulars%2Fk%2Fkeytruda%2Fkeytruda_pi.pdf">support</a>).

Bempegaldesleukin+ KEYTRUDA® (pembrolizumab) (PROPEL) 

Rezpegaldesleukin (LY3471851) (NKTR-358) 

Ulcerative colitis

NKTR-358 

Renal cell carcinoma

Bempegaldesleukin (NKTR-214) + Opdivo (Nivolumab) 

Solid tumor/s

Bempegaldesleukin (NKTR-214) + OPDIVO (Nivolumab) 

Bempegaldesleukin (NK-214) + VB10.NEO

Melanoma

Bempegaldesleukin (NKTR 214) + Opdivo (Nivolumab)

Urothelial cancer

Bempegaldesleukin (NKTR-214)+ OPDIVO (Nivolumab) 

Bempegaldesleukin (BEMPEG: NKTR-214) is an investigational CD122-preferential IL-2–pathway agonist that leverages the clinically validated IL-2 pathway to stimulate an antitumor immune response.1&nbsp;BEMPEG was engineered to deliver a controlled, sustained, and preferential IL-2 pathway signal, with the goals of stimulating an antitumor immune response while minimizing toxicity, thereby allowing for outpatient administration

Bempegaldesleukin (BEMPEG) + KEYTRUDA (pembrolizumab) 

Metastatic breast cancer to brain

Onzeald (etirinotecan pegol)

NKTR-262 is a novel small molecule agonist designed to activate toll-like receptors (TLRs). Intratumoral delivery of NKTR-262 promotes TLR activation to induce the development of antigen-specific immunity by initiating the process by which the immune system generates antigen-specific cytotoxic T cells to the patient's specific tumor.4 Bempeg targets CD122 specific receptors found on the surface of these cancer-killing immune cells, known as CD8+ effector T cells. By first generating antigen-specific cytotoxic T cells with NKTR-262 and then growing these CD8+ effector T cells with bempeg, the patient's entire immunity cycle can potentially be engaged to fight cancer. In preclinical studies, a single intratumoral dose of NKTR-262, administered in combination with bempeg, resulted in complete abscopal tumor regressions in multiple mouse syngeneic tumor models.

Nektar Therapeutics

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