Nkarta Appoints Shawn Rose as CMO and Head of R&D, Replacing David Shook

Nkarta (NKTX) has appointed Shawn Rose as its new Chief Medical Officer and Head of Research and Development. Rose previously served as Chief Development Officer at Vividion Therapeutics, working on immunology targets. He will replace David Shook, who is stepping down to pursue other opportunities in oncology.

Nkarta, Inc. (NKTX), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on developing engineered natural killer (NK) cell therapies for autoimmune diseases, has appointed Dr. Shawn Rose as its new Chief Medical Officer and Head of Research and Development. Dr. Rose will assume his new role on June 23, 2025, succeeding Dr. David R. Shook, who will step down to pursue opportunities in the oncology sector [1].

Dr. Shawn Rose brings extensive experience in immunology and drug development to Nkarta. He has played pivotal roles in the approval of transformative medicines like Sotyktu, Stelara, and Tremfya. His most recent position was Chief Development Officer at Vividion Therapeutics, where he worked on expanding the portfolio by advancing previously undruggable targets in immunology. Prior to this, Dr. Rose held significant leadership roles at Magenta Therapeutics, Annexon Biosciences, Janssen Pharmaceuticals, and Bristol-Myers Squibb [1].

Nkarta's CEO, Paul J. Hastings, expressed confidence in Dr. Rose's ability to enhance the company's NK cell platform for autoimmune diseases. "Dr. Rose joins the Nkarta team at a critical threshold as we discover the power of our NK cell platform to treat autoimmune diseases," Hastings said. "He is an enterprise leader with a deep clinical background in rheumatology and immunology that’s ideally suited to maximize the potential of our allogeneic NK cell platform. Shawn’s proven track record as an expert clinician gives me full confidence that he will hit the ground running on day one and meaningfully advance our work in the clinic" [1].

During the transition, Dr. Rose will collaborate with the outgoing CMO, Dr. Shook, who will remain as a consultant until July 11, 2025. Dr. Shook has been a key figure in the advancement of NK cell therapy and will continue to contribute to the company's strategic direction during this critical phase [1].

Nkarta continues to evaluate its lead candidate, NKX019, in multiple autoimmune conditions. This allogeneic, cryopreserved immunotherapy utilizes NK cells equipped with a CD19-directed chimeric antigen receptor for enhanced targeting and persistence. The appointment of Dr. Rose aligns with Nkarta’s mission to advance its pipeline of cell therapies built on robust cell expansion and engineering technologies, aimed at providing broader access to innovative treatments outside traditional clinical settings [1].

References:
[1] https://www.gurufocus.com/news/2912946/nkarta-appoints-shawn-rose-chief-medical-officer-head-of-rd-as-company-resets-senior-leadership-role-for-autoimmune-focus-nktx-stock-news