Form 8-K
8-K — Nkarta, Inc.
Accession: 0001787400-26-000020
Filed: 2026-11-05
Period: 2026-11-05
CIK: 0001787400
SIC: 2834 (PHARMACEUTICAL PREPARATIONS)
Item: Results of Operations and Financial Condition
Item: Financial Statements and Exhibits
Documents
8-K — nktx-20261105.htm (Primary)
EX-99.1 (nktx-ex99_1.htm)
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8-K
8-K (Primary)
Filename: nktx-20261105.htm · Sequence: 1
8-K
0001787400false00017874002026-11-052026-11-05
UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549
FORM 8-K
CURRENT REPORT
Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): November 5, 2026
Nkarta, Inc.
(Exact name of Registrant as Specified in Its Charter)
Delaware
001-39370
47-4515206
(State or Other Jurisdiction
of Incorporation)
(Commission File Number)
(IRS Employer
Identification No.)
1150 Veterans Boulevard
South San Francisco, CA
94080
(Address of Principal Executive Offices)
(Zip Code)
Registrant’s Telephone Number, Including Area Code: (925) 407-1049
Not Applicable
(Former Name or Former Address, if Changed Since Last Report)
Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions:
☐
Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)
☐
Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)
☐
Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))
☐
Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))
Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:
Title of each class
Trading
Symbol(s)
Name of each exchange on which registered
Common Stock, $0.0001 par value per share
NKTX
Nasdaq Global Select Market
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth company as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933 (§ 230.405 of this chapter) or Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (§ 240.12b-2 of this chapter).
Emerging growth company ☐
If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. ☐
Item 2.02 Results of Operations and Financial Condition.
On November 5, 2026, Nkarta, Inc. (the “Company”) issued a press release announcing its financial results for the third quarter ended September 30, 2026. A copy of the Company’s press release is attached hereto as Exhibit 99.1.
The information in Item 2.02 of this Current Report on Form 8-K (including Exhibit 99.1) shall not be deemed “filed” for purposes of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), or otherwise subject to the liabilities of that section, nor shall it be, or be deemed, incorporated by reference in any filings under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), unless the Company specifically states that the information is to be considered “filed” under the Exchange Act or incorporates it by reference into a filing under the Securities Act or the Exchange Act.
Item 9.01 Financial Statements and Exhibits.
(d) Exhibits.
Exhibit
Number
Description
99.1
Press Release, dated November 5, 2026, entitled “Nkarta Reports Third Quarter 2026 Financial Results and Provides Business Update”
104
Cover Page Interactive Data File (embedded within the Inline XBRL document).
1
SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.
Nkarta, Inc.
Date: November 5, 2026
By:
/s/ Nadir Mahmood
Nadir Mahmood
President
2
EX-99.1
EX-99.1
Filename: nktx-ex99_1.htm · Sequence: 2
EX-99.1
Exhibit 99.1
Nkarta Reports Third Quarter 2026 Financial Results
and Provides Business Update
•
Initial clinical data for NKX019 in idiopathic inflammatory myopathy (myositis) and systemic sclerosis (scleroderma) to be presented at ACR Convergence 2026
•
Cash balance of $216.0 million on September 30, 2026, including cash, cash equivalents and investments, expected to fund operations into 2029
SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO, Calif., November 5, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Nkarta, Inc. (Nasdaq: NKTX), a clinical-stage biotechnology company developing engineered natural killer (NK) cell therapies to treat autoimmune diseases, today reported financial results for the third quarter ended September 30, 2026.
"NKX019 is advancing in our two lead indications, myositis and systemic sclerosis," said Paul J. Hastings, Chief Executive Officer of Nkarta. "We’re delighted to have been selected to present our initial clinical data in two oral presentations and one poster presentation at ACR Convergence 2026 in Orlando. We believe that the safety profile of engineered CAR-NK cells could broaden cell therapy access to reach far more patients. With off-the-shelf availability and outpatient dosing at a growing network of community-based sites, our program is designed to deliver on that potential."
NKX019 Clinical Program Progress and Upcoming Milestones
•
Initial clinical data from the Ntrust program to be presented at ACR Convergence 2026 in the company’s lead indications: idiopathic inflammatory myopathy and systemic sclerosis. Presentations include an oral presentation in myositis on November 8, a poster in systemic sclerosis on November 9, and an oral presentation of safety data across autoimmune indications on November 11.
•
Enrollment continues in the Ntrust program, our multi-center, open-label, dose-escalation clinical trials evaluating NKX019 in multiple autoimmune diseases.
•
Outpatient dosing is underway within our network of community-based sites, extending access to patients who cannot travel to academic medical centers.
•
Patients are being dosed at 4 billion cells per dose x 3 doses (12 billion cells total) across all indications in Ntrust-1 and Ntrust-2.
Third Quarter 2026 Financial Highlights
•
Nkarta had cash, cash equivalents, restricted cash, and investments in marketable securities of $216.0 million as of September 30, 2026.
•
Research and development (R&D) expenses were $29.5 million for the third quarter of 2026. Non-cash stock-based compensation expense included in R&D expense was $0.7 million for the third quarter of 2026.
•
General and administrative (G&A) expenses were $6.3 million for the third quarter of 2026. Non-cash stock-based compensation expense included in G&A expense was $1.1 million for the third quarter of 2026.
•
Net loss was $33.3 million, or $0.45 per basic and diluted share, for the third quarter of 2026. This net loss includes non-cash charges of $2.8 million that consisted primarily of share-based compensation and depreciation expenses.
Financial Guidance
•
Nkarta expects its current cash and cash equivalents to fund its current operating plan into 2029.
About the Ntrust℠ Clinical Trials in Autoimmune Disease
Ntrust-1 (NCT06557265) and Ntrust-2 (NCT06733935) are multi-center, open-label, dose-escalation clinical trials in patients with autoimmune disease receiving lymphodepletion followed by CD19-targeted CAR-NK cell therapy. Both trials assess the safety of NKX019 in people living with autoimmune diseases as well as its potential to achieve durable remission via a “reset” of the immune system through the elimination of pathogenic B cells.
The Ntrust trials are enrolling up to 12 patients per dose level per disease indication, with leading indications in myositis and systemic sclerosis, as well as ANCA-associated vasculitis, rheumatoid arthritis, lupus nephritis, and primary membranous nephropathy. Additional patients may be enrolled if needed to refine patient populations for further study.
In both studies, patients receive a three-dose cycle of NKX019 following lymphodepletion with fludarabine and cyclophosphamide or cyclophosphamide alone, if they have significant cytopenia at baseline. This approach is designed to evaluate the single-agent activity of NKX019 and facilitate a more rapid path to regulatory approval. Patients in both trials may also receive additional cycles, if needed, to restore response or enable a deeper response.
About NKX019
NKX019 is an allogeneic, cryopreserved, off-the-shelf immunotherapy candidate that uses natural killer (NK) cells derived from the peripheral blood of healthy adult donors. It is engineered with a humanized CD19-directed chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) for enhanced cell targeting and a proprietary, membrane-bound form of interleukin-15 (IL-15) for greater persistence and activity without exogenous cytokine support. CD19 is a biomarker for normal B cells as well as those implicated in autoimmune disease. Nkarta is evaluating NKX019 in multiple autoimmune conditions.
About Nkarta
2
Nkarta is a clinical-stage biotechnology company advancing the development of allogeneic, off-the-shelf natural killer (NK) cell therapies for people living with autoimmune diseases. By harnessing the power of the innate immune system to eliminate pathogenic B cells driving the autoimmune response, Nkarta is advancing novel cell therapies engineered for deep therapeutic impact. The on-demand availability and outpatient dosing of our CAR-NK cells enables a broad population of patients with different autoimmune conditions to conveniently access NK cell therapy in community health settings. For more information, please visit the company’s website at www.nkartatx.com.
Cautionary Note on Forward-Looking Statements
Statements contained in this press release regarding matters that are not historical facts are “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, as amended. Words such as “anticipates,” “believes,” “expects,” “intends,” “plans,” “potential,” “projects,” “would” and “future” or similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Examples of these forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements concerning Nkarta’s expectations regarding any or all of the following: Nkarta’s position, plans, strategies, and timelines for the continued and future clinical development and potential of NKX019 (including the future availability and disclosure of clinical data and other updates from Nkarta’s clinical trials); the therapeutic potential, accessibility and tolerability of NKX019 for the treatment of autoimmune diseases, including as a result of advancing Nkarta’s dose escalation and expansion of outpatient dosing in community-based settings; and Nkarta’s expected cash runway.
Because such statements are subject to risks and uncertainties, actual results may differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties include, among others: Nkarta’s limited operating history and historical losses; Nkarta’s lack of any products approved for sale and its ability to achieve profitability; the risk that the results of preclinical studies and early-stage clinical trials may not be predictive of future results; the risk that initial, interim or preliminary data from Nkarta’s clinical trials, including the data to be presented at ACR Convergence 2026, reflect a limited number of patients with limited follow-up, may change as more patient data become available and may not be predictive of future results; Nkarta’s ability to raise additional funding to complete the development and any commercialization of its product candidates; Nkarta’s dependence on the clinical success of NKX019, including in its leading indications of myositis and systemic sclerosis; risks associated with outpatient administration of NKX019 at community-based sites; that Nkarta may be delayed in initiating, enrolling patients in or completing its clinical trials; competition from third parties that are developing products for similar uses; Nkarta’s ability to obtain, maintain and protect its intellectual property; Nkarta’s dependence on third parties in connection with manufacturing, clinical trials and pre-clinical studies; and the complexity of the manufacturing process for CAR-NK cell therapies.
These and other risks and uncertainties are described more fully in Nkarta’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”), including the “Risk Factors” section of Nkarta’s
3
Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2026, filed with the SEC on August 10, 2026, and Nkarta’s other documents subsequently filed with or furnished to the SEC. All forward-looking statements contained in this press release speak only as of the date on which they were made. Except to the extent required by law, Nkarta undertakes no obligation to update such statements to reflect events that occur or circumstances that exist after the date on which they were made.
Nkarta, Inc.
Condensed Statements of Operations
(in thousands, except share and per share data)
(Unaudited)
Three Months Ended September 30,
Nine Months Ended September 30,
2026
2025
2026
2025
Operating expenses
Research and development
$
29,464
$
20,198
$
83,498
$
65,148
General and administrative
6,313
7,088
26,283
25,888
Total operating expenses
35,777
27,286
109,781
91,036
Loss from operations
(35,777
)
(27,286
)
(109,781
)
(91,036
)
Other income, net:
Interest income
2,245
3,852
7,621
12,198
Other income, net
206
1,719
634
2,163
Total other income, net
2,451
5,571
8,255
14,361
Net loss
$
(33,326
)
$
(21,715
)
$
(101,526
)
$
(76,675
)
Net loss per share, basic and diluted
$
(0.45
)
$
(0.29
)
$
(1.36
)
$
(1.04
)
Weighted average shares used to compute
net loss per share, basic and diluted
74,637,689
74,024,543
74,464,897
73,973,278
4
Nkarta, Inc.
Condensed Balance Sheets
(in thousands)
(Unaudited)
September 30,
2026
December 31,
2025
Assets
Cash, cash equivalents, restricted cash and investments
$
216,026
$
295,129
Property and equipment, net
54,595
66,721
Operating lease right-of-use assets
30,500
34,429
Other assets
7,340
7,930
Total assets
$
308,461
$
404,209
Liabilities and stockholders' equity
Accounts payable, accrued and other liabilities
$
20,675
$
15,464
Operating lease liabilities
72,037
76,420
Total liabilities
92,712
91,884
Stockholders’ equity
215,749
312,325
Total liabilities and stockholders’ equity
$
308,461
$
404,209
Nkarta Media/Investor Contact:
Nadir Mahmood
Nkarta, Inc.
nmahmood@nkartatx.com
5
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