• MiNK-215, an IL-15 armoured FAP-targeting CAR-iNKT, targets and clears tumor-protective FAP+ fibroblasts to allow immune cells to infiltrate and kills cancer cells
• Activates multiple immune pathways to generate potent, lasting anti-tumor activity in lung and MSS colorectal cancer models

 MiNK Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ: INKT), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company pioneering allogeneic invariant natural killer T (iNKT) cell therapies to treat cancer and immune disorders,  announced the publication of new preclinical data for MiNK-215, a novel, next-generation FAP-targeting, IL-15–enhanced CAR-iNKT therapy. The manuscript, titled The allogeneic FAP-CAR-IL15 iNKT therapy MiNK-215 remodels the tumor stroma to enhance antitumor immunity”, is now available on Cancer Immunology Research website here.

MiNK-215 is engineered to eliminate FAP-positive cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs)—the cells that build the dense, immunosuppressive stroma blocking immune infiltration in solid tumors and contributing heavily to immunotherapy failure. Using MiNK’s proprietary allogeneic platform, MiNK-215 also secretes IL-15 to enhance persistence, immune activation, and durability.

Key Findings: MiNK-215 tackles the two fundamental barriers: the physical stroma that blocks immune entry and the dysfunctional immune circuitry inside the tumor. Specifically,

• Dismantles the protective stromal barrier and selectively eliminates FAP+ cancer-associated fibroblasts, clearing the path for robust immune infiltration.
• Reprograms the immune landscape in preclinical models of refractory lung and MSS colon cancer liver metastases, MiNK-215:
  • Remodeled the tumor microenvironment
  • Activated dendritic cells and antigen-presentation pathways
  • Re-polarized macrophages to pro-inflammatory, cancer killing state
  • Enabled deep infiltration of tumor-specific T cells

As an “off-the-shelf” therapy, MiNK-215 can be manufactured at scale and delivered on demand—offering a new therapeutic strategy for patients with solid tumors that have long been unresponsive to checkpoint inhibitors and other immune-based treatments.

“The findings published today underscore the real potential of MiNK-215 to reshape how we treat solid tumors that have resisted immunotherapy for decades. By dismantling the fibroblast barriers that shield these cancers and activating multiple arms of the immune system, MiNK-215 goes beyond traditional checkpoint approaches. As an allogeneic, off-the-shelf therapy, it represents a meaningful step toward delivering scalable, immediate immune engagement for patients who currently have few effective options,” said Jennifer Buell, PhD, President and CEO of MiNK Therapeutics.