NantKwest Vaccine Now Part Of 'Operation Warp Speed,' Lays Out Plan For COVID-19 Candidates

Nantkwest Inc NK shares spiked after the company announced progress on the COVID-19 vaccine program and therapeutics options.

Vaccine Program Part Of ‘Operation Warp Speed'

El Segundo, California-based NantKwest said its affiliate ImmunityBio has been selected to participate in Operation Warp Speed, a national program aimed at providing substantial quantities of safe, effective vaccine for Americans by January 2021.

NanKwest said it will focus on developing, testing and largescale manufacturing of ImmunityBio's COVID-19 human adenovirus vaccine candidate, codenamed hAd5. The company said it's the first vaccine designed to deliver both Spike and Nucleocapsid DNA, offering scope for long-lasting immunity.

"ImmunityBio is honored to have been selected as one of the 14 companies for Operation Warp Speed and is committed to moving our vaccine candidate through the process to prevent people from contracting this deadly virus," said Patrick Soon-Shiong, CEO of ImmunityBio and NantKwest.

Benzinga is covering every angle of how the coronavirus affects the financial world. For daily updates, sign up for our coronavirus newsletter.

COVID Therapeutics

NantKwest will evaluate ImmunityBio's N-803, an interleukin 15 as well its own haNK, off-the-shelf natural killer cells, to treat mild-to-moderate COVID-19 symptoms. Phase 1 trials for N-803 is set to begin in Los Angeles in June.

"Based on initial data, we believe our IL-15 superagonist N-803 could prevent patients from reaching the most advanced stages of disease, including pneumonia and acute respiratory distress syndrome," Soon-Shiong said.

Meanwhile, the company has filed a pre-IND application to the FDA for haNK.

For severe and critically ill COVID-19 patients on ventilator support, NantKwest's bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells are being evaluated. The company initiated a Phase 1b study on May 18 to evaluate the safety and efficacy of BM-Allo.MSC versus current supporting care.

The companies also said the FDA has authorized the use of ImmunityBio's IL-15 to treat patients prior to the onset of severe disease by potentially activating natural killer cells to mitigate viral replication.

Alliance Firmed Up

NantKwest and ImmunityBio have agreed to jointly develop haNK, mesenchymal stem cells, adenovirus constructs, and N-803 for the prevention and treatment of SAR-CoV-2 viral infections and associated conditions, including COVID-19.

The agreement calls for both parties sharing equally in all costs relating to developing, manufacturing and marketing of the product candidates globally, with net profits from the collaboration products to be shared 60%/40% in favor of the party contributing the product.

At last check, NantKwest shares were surging by 20% to $6.53.