CIML NK cell therapy for post-transplant MPN relapse

Current understanding

Relapse after allogeneic transplant remains a major failure mode for MPN, AML, and MDS, with limited salvage options beyond donor lymphocyte infusion and second transplant. Cytokine-induced memory-like (CIML) NK cells combined with IL-2 are being tested as a novel cellular immunotherapy for myeloid disease relapse after haploidentical or HLA-matched HCT, representing a first-in-class approach in this setting.

Evidence log

• 2026-06-17 — Preemptive CIML NK Cell Therapy After Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation: Trial-early evidence of preemptive (not salvage) IL-2-expanded CIML NK infusions post-allo-HSCT in AML/MDS/MDS-MPN overlap, extending this modality from relapse treatment into relapse prevention alongside HMA/pegINFa maintenance. (novelty: 4)
• 2026-06-04 — AlloHCT With PegINFa for Myelofibrosis: cross-connection with post-transplant-peginfa-maintenance-mf: Both target post-transplant relapse prevention in MPN, with pegINFa offering a pharmacologic/immunomodulatory approach versus cellular CIML NK therapy. (novelty: 4)
• Foundation — FDA Awards $18 Million in Grants for Advancing Treatment of Rare Diseases: cross-connection with cd8-reduced-tcells-mpn-progression: Both are cell-therapy approaches for high-risk MPN-transformation/post-transplant relapse settings (CD8-reduced T cells vs CIML NK cells), representing parallel cellular-immunotherapy bets on the same hard-to-treat population. (novelty: 3)
• 2026-03-30 — Inqovi Maintenance Therapy in Myeloid Neoplasms: cross-connection with post-transplant-maintenance-hma: Complementary post-HCT strategies: HMA maintenance aims to prevent relapse, while CIML NK targets established relapse — together they bracket the post-transplant relapse-control toolkit. (novelty: 3)

Open questions

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