Accelerating Translation of NK Cell Therapies to the Clinic: A European Perspective
Abstract
Adoptive immunotherapies have emerged as a promising strategy in the treatment of hematological malignancies. To date, seven chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-T cell products have obtained market authorization in Europe for B-cell malignancies, where they have revolutionized treatment for eligible patients. In addition, natural killer (NK) cells and γδ T cells are of particular interest for cell-based therapies due to their strong intrinsic cytotoxicity and favorable safety profile. Addressing challenges facing the clinical translation of NK cell therapies was one of the issues discussed in the NK & ILC Symposium that took place in Freiburg, Germany from March 11 to 13, 2026, as the annual meeting of the NK & ILC study group of the German Society for Immunology (DGfI). Topics ranging from basic immunological research to technological innovations and clinical trial results were discussed during the 3-day conference, spanning over 40 presentations and 100 posters. A highlight of the conference was a workshop featuring short presentations and a panel discussion that focused specifically on the current challenges and future prospects of the clinical implementation of NK cell therapies; the findings of this workshop are summarized in this opinion paper.
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Authors: Lea Rebecca Knapp, Katharina Sophie Fischer, Janika Sosat, Jose Francisco Villena-Ossa, Pia Kluge, Dominik Schmiedel, Jürgen Kuball, Harry Dolstra, Susana Minguet, Tatjana I. Cornu, Toni Cathomen, Evren Alici, Michael O'Dwyer, Winfried Stephan Wels, Karl-Johan Malmberg, Rizwan Romee, Éric Vivier, Ulrike Koehl, Adelheid Cerwenka, Evelyn Ullrich
Institutions: Karolinska Institutet, Leipzig University, Inserm, Heidelberg University, University Hospital Heidelberg, Radboud University Nijmegen, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, German Cancer Research Center, University of Oslo, University of Freiburg, Goethe University Frankfurt, Ollscoil na Gaillimhe – University of Galway, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, University Hospital Leipzig, Jena University Hospital, University Medical Center Freiburg, Université Paris-Saclay, University Medical Centre Mannheim, Radboud University Medical Center, Fraunhofer Institute for Cell Therapy and Immunology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Georg Speyer Haus, Oslo University Hospital, Institut Gustave Roussy, Centre d’Immunologie de Marseille-Luminy, University of Mannheim, Frankfurt Cancer Institute, Deutsches Konsortium für Translationale Krebsforschung