After immuno-oncology, cell therapies such as CAR-Ts have attracted millions of dollars of funding in China and one former executive is now sailing into the largely uncharted waters of natural killer cells.

GSK will pay iTeos $625m up front to codevelop and cocommercialize EOS-448, now in Phase I development for advanced solid tumors.

While the data are early, they have also generated positive views toward the company’s pipeline ahead of an anticipated CAR-NK data announcement at its investor meeting.

The partnership helps close the gap between Nkarta and Fate Therapeutics in terms of the breadth of their pipelines.