The 11th Innate Killer Summit is the world’s leading conference dedicated exclusively to advancing NK cell therapies and innate immune cell therapeutics.
Taking place in San Diego, this flagship meeting brings together global leaders driving innovation across NK cell engineering, manufacturing, persistence, tumor targeting, and clinical translation.
As the longest-running and most specialized NK cell therapy conference, the Innate Killer Summit provides a focused platform covering:
- CAR-NK
- NK cell engagers
- trispecific killer engagers (TriKEs)
- iPSC-derived and cord-blood NK platforms
- cytokine-enhanced NK cells
- multiplex genome editing
- logic-gated CAR-NK approaches
The program also uniquely integrates investment, partnering, and AI-driven innovation in innate immunotherapy, reflecting renewed capital momentum across the NK and innate immune space.
The summit is designed for professionals advancing NK and innate immune cell therapies from discovery through clinical and commercial development.
Attendees typically include:
- NK Cell Therapy & Immuno-Oncology R&D Leaders
- Cell Therapy Platform, Engineering & Synthetic Biology Scientists
- CAR-NK and Cell Engager Developers
- Manufacturing, CMC, and Bioprocessing Experts
- Clinical Development & Translational Medicine Teams
- iPSC-Derived and Allogeneic Cell Therapy Specialists
- Academic Researchers in NK Biology and Innate Immunity
- Investors, Business Development, and Strategy Leaders
- Technology Providers supporting analytics, automation, and AI
This is the must-attend meeting for anyone working across NK immunotherapy, innate immune cell therapies, and cell-based immuno-oncology.
The 2026 agenda addresses the most urgent scientific, technical, and commercial challenges in NK and innate immune cell therapy, including:
- CAR-NK cell engineering, including logic-gated CAR-NK and multiplex genome editing
- NK cell engagers, bispecific and trispecific killer engagers (TriKEs), and ADCC via CD16
- Improving NK cell persistence and durability, including cytokine-enhanced and memory-like NK cells
- Overcoming tumor microenvironment (TME) suppression in solid tumors
- iPSC-derived and cord-blood NK platforms enabling off-the-shelf therapies
- NK cell manufacturing & CMC, including scale-up, automation, closed systems, and cryopreservation
- Clinical translation and emerging clinical data across oncology and autoimmune indications
- AI in innate immunotherapy, including donor selection and CAR-NK design optimization
- Investment, partnering, and deal-making trends in NK, bispecifics, and cell therapy
The Innate Killer Summit delivers deep, NK-specific manufacturing content, including:
- Allogeneic NK manufacturing and scale-up
- Automation and closed bioprocessing systems
- Cryopreservation and supply chain optimization
- CMC analytics, robustness, and regulatory readiness
- Comparisons with CAR-T, TCR, and TIL manufacturing models
By attending, participants will:
- Gain first-hand insight into emerging clinical data and platform differentiation
- Benchmark strategies for CAR-NK, NK engagers, and off-the-shelf NK therapies
- Learn how leaders are solving manufacturing, persistence, and scalability challenges
- Network with the world’s most concentrated NK and innate immunotherapy community
- Understand investment, partnering, and deal-flow trends shaping the field
- Stay ahead in a rapidly evolving NK cell therapy landscape
Unlike broader immuno-oncology or cell therapy events, the Innate Killer Summit is exclusively focused on NK and innate immune modalities. This specialization enables deeper technical discussions, more relevant networking, and unmatched insight into NK-specific challenges compared with general IO, CAR-T/TCR, or bioprocessing conferences.
NK cell engagers are multispecific biologics designed to recruit and activate NK cells, often through CD16-mediated ADCC, to target tumor antigens. Formats include bispecific and trispecific killer engagers (TriKEs), which may incorporate cytokine signalling to enhance persistence and potency.
Compared with T-cell engagers (TCEs), NK engagers leverage innate immune recognition and may offer differentiated safety and cytokine profiles, making them an increasingly important modality alongside CAR-NK therapies.
Historically, limited in-vivo persistence has constrained the durability of NK therapies. New approaches discussed at the Summit include:
- Cytokine support and engineering
- Memory-like and adaptive NK cells
- Checkpoint and inhibitory receptor modulation
- Resistance to tumor microenvironment suppression
Improving persistence is essential for achieving durable clinical responses.
CAR-NK therapies genetically engineer NK cells with chimeric antigen receptors to improve tumor recognition and cytotoxicity. Unlike CAR-T cells, NK cells can recognize cancer through both antigen-specific and “missing-self” mechanisms, offering complementary anti-tumor activity.
Current innovation focuses on:
- Logic-gated CAR-NK designs
- Cytokine-enhanced NK cells
- Multiplex genome editing
- Improved persistence and resistance to TME suppression
These advances are driving growing clinical momentum across both hematologic and solid tumors.
iPSC-derived and cord-blood NK cells allow for standardized, batch manufacturing of allogeneic NK therapies. These platforms support scalability, repeat dosing, reduced vein-to-vein time, and broader patient access compared with autologous approaches, making them central to next-generation NK manufacturing strategies.
AI is increasingly used to:
- Optimize donor selection
- Accelerate CAR-NK and engager design
- Improve preclinical-to-clinical translation
- Support data-driven decision making in pipeline prioritization
Dedicated AI and innovation sessions explore how machine learning is reshaping innate immunotherapy development.
Yes. Beyond oncology, NK biology is increasingly explored in autoimmune and inflammatory diseases, including immune regulation and tissue residency. These emerging applications are reflected in Summit programming and cross-disciplinary discussions.
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