Nkarta, Inc. Names Nadir Mahmood President to Drive Innovation in Cell Therapy
Nkarta, Inc. (NASDAQ:NKTX), a biopharmaceutical company developing engineered natural killer (NK) cell therapies, today announced changes to its leadership team. Nadir Mahmood, Ph.D., will join Nkarta as President this month, sharing executive leadership responsibilities with Paul J. Hastings, who continues in his role as Chief Executive Officer. Additionally, Nkarta has broadened the role of David R. Shook, M.D., to Chief Medical Officer, Head of Research & Development. Drs. Mahmood and Shook will both report to Mr. Hastings.
"This new leadership structure enables Nkarta to meet this transformative moment for cell therapy as we embark on groundbreaking clinical trials and expand our footprint in multiple autoimmune disease settings. These executive changes are expected to significantly enhance our ability to accelerate the development and ultimate commercialization of pioneering NK cell therapies for patients that need them," said Paul J. Hastings, CEO of Nkarta. "I am thrilled to have Nadir, a trusted thought partner of many years, join Nkarta. His expertise will be invaluable as we continue to drive innovation and growth."
Nadir Mahmood, Ph.D., was previously the Chief Executive Officer of Rezo Therapeutics, a private-stage drug-discovery company. Prior to joining Rezo, he served as Chief Financial and Business Officer at Nkarta, where he played a direct role in corporate strategy, including the company's private and public financings as well as the formation of its in-house manufacturing capabilities. In this newly created role of President, Dr. Mahmood will be responsible for driving the strategic focus, operational excellence and overall business and technical success at Nkarta. He will lead cross-functional activities to guide company-wide strategic alignment and value creation across pipeline programs, technical and business operations and lifecycle planning.