Could your own immune cells fight Alzheimer's? new trial launches
NCT ID NCT06189963
First seen Jun 27, 2026 · Last updated Jul 02, 2026 · Updated 2 times
Summary
This early-stage trial is testing whether a personalized natural killer (NK) cell therapy called SNK01 is safe and might help people with moderate Alzheimer's disease. The treatment is made from each patient's own immune cells and given as an IV infusion every three weeks for up to a year. The study will also look for early signs of improvement in thinking, memory, and daily function, as well as changes in brain-related biomarkers.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- SNK01 (a personalized natural killer cell therapy made from the patient's own immune cells)
- What this could lead to
- If it works, this could point toward a new way to slow or improve cognitive decline in moderate Alzheimer's disease by boosting the immune system.
- What could go wrong
- This is an early phase 1/2 trial with only 36 participants, so it is primarily testing safety. It may not show clear cognitive benefits, and cell therapies can have side effects like infusion reactions.
Why investors are watching
NKGen Biotech is testing SNK01, an intravenous infusion given every three weeks for up to a year, in 36 people with moderate Alzheimer's disease. For a micro-cap company, this early-stage trial is its main value driver, and the results will show whether the drug is safe and whether it improves cognition or biomarkers. A clear signal could define the company's future, while a weak or failed readout would leave it with little else.
If it works: If SNK01 shows acceptable safety and any sign of cognitive or biomarker improvement, NKGen could advance the drug to later trials and attract partnership or licensing interest. That outcome would validate its core asset and give the company a path forward.
If it fails: Phase I/II trials often fail, and SNK01 could prove unsafe, poorly tolerated, or show no benefit in cognition or biomarkers. A negative or delayed result would likely leave NKGen without a viable lead product and could threaten its ability to continue operations.
AI-written from the trial record. Speculative, and not investment advice.
This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.
Study facts
What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.
- Phase
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Phase 1/2
Runs two stages together: safety and dose first, then whether the treatment works.
- Participants
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About 36 people
The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.
- Started
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Nov 2023
- Expected to finish
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Jun 2027
An estimate. End dates often move.
- Lead sponsor
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A company
The lead sponsor is a pharmaceutical, biotech, or medical-device company.
Who can take part
This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.
- Ages
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40 to 85 years
- Sex
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Anyone
- Healthy volunteers
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Not accepted
This study is not open to healthy volunteers. The entry requirements below say who it is open to.
Show the full entry requirements Hide the full entry requirements
Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.
Inclusion Criteria: 1. The participant or their legally authorized representative must be willing and able to give their informed consent in writing and comply with the requirements of this study protocol. Informed consent for participants or their legally authorized representative and caregivers will be obtained before any trial-related activity. (Trial-related activities are any procedure that would not be performed during normal treatment of the participant). 2. Participants must have a reliable study partner/caregiver (per investigator judgement for instance a family member, partner etc., guardian (must be always the same person)) who is in close contact with the patient, available on call and who is able to contribute to the assessment of the ratings of the functional endpoints at specific study visits. This person will be able to communicate in the language in which the participant is being assessed and should also serve as a backup contact for the study site. The study partner/caregiver must sign a separate informed consent form which describes their contributions during the study. 3. Patients with diagnosis of Alzheimer's dementia according to the recommendations from the 2011 National Institute on Aging-Alzheimer's Association workgroups on diagnostic guidelines for Alzheimer's disease. 4. Age 40 to 85 years old. 5. Patients must have at least 6 years of formal education and fluency in the test language as verbally confirmed by the patient or their legally authorized representative and documented by the study investigator. 6. Female participants of childbearing potential must have a negative urine pregnancy test at Screening and Visit 1 before first administration of the study drug. Females of childbearing potential are defined as those who are not surgically sterile or who are not post-menopausal (i.e.: no menses for at least 1 year). Male and female participants of reproductive potential must also agree to abstinence or use acceptable form(s) of effective contraception during the study and for 30 days after the final dose of the study drug. Acceptable methods of contraception include the following: 1. Condoms, sponges, foams, gels, diaphragms, or intrauterine device (IUD). 2. Hormonal birth control for 30 days prior to administration of the study drug. 3. A vasectomized sexual partner. 7. Positive evidence for a diagnosis of AD via amyloid positron emission tomography (Amyloid PET) of the brain within the past six months. 8. CDR-SB score of ≥ 9.5 and \<16.0. Exclusion Criteria: 1. Substantial concomitant cerebrovascular disease defined as Fazekas Grade 3. 2. History of a stroke/intracranial hemorrhage temporally related to the onset of worsening of cognitive impairment in the opinion of the investigator. 3. Any substance use disorder that has not been in remission for at least 12 months 4. Medical history of cancer (except for basal cell carcinoma) and/or treatment for cancer within the last 5 years. 5. Uncontrolled cardiovascular illnesses such as chronic congestive heart failure (with or without oedema), tachycardia, arrhythmias, uncontrolled hypertension. 6. History of cerebrovascular accident or transient ischemic attack (TIA), or unexplainable loss of consciousness within the last year. 7. Significant pulmonary disease predisposing to hypoxia. 8. Significant ischemic heart disease, myocardial infarction within the last two years and/or with residual angina, orthopnea, conduction defects (ECG), or any other clinically significant heart disease classified as NYHA III or IV. 9. Significant liver disease (for example cirrhosis, active hepatitis B and C, primary or metastatic liver neoplasm). 10. Indication of liver disease, defined by serum levels of either ALT (SGPT), AST (SGOT), or alkaline phosphatase above 3 x upper limit of normal (ULN) as determined during screening. 11. Significant gastrointestinal disorders (for example gastrointestinal bleeding within the last two years, malabsorption syndromes, post-gastrectomy, or active peptic ulcer disease). 12. Immunological disorder such as per investigator judgement clinically significant allergies, Lupus erythematodes, or scleroderma. 13. Uncontrolled/Unstable hematological disease (regardless of cause) such as refractory anemia or refractory myelosuppression. 14. Neurological disease (such as: Lewy body dementia - primary diagnosis, Huntington's disease, Parkinson's Disease, encephalitis, epilepsy, vascular or multi-infarct dementia, stroke, congenital mental deficiency, multiple sclerosis) and psychiatric disorders (such as schizophrenia, or intellectual disability), or any other disorders impacting cognitive function. 15. Unstable/uncontrolled major depression or anxiety within the last 12 months. 16. History of seizures in the past three years. 17. Uncontrolled endocrine disease such as uncontrolled diabetes mellitus or manifest hyperthyroidism, in the opinion of the investigator. 18. Severe renal impairment defined as a GFR \< 30 mL/min/1.73 m2 in the screening lab report 19. Infection with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), hepatitis B, hepatitis C, or any other infection or active systemic disease. 20. Currently being treated with anticoagulants (except aspirin at or below a prophylactic dose). 21. Participants who are taking medications for AD, like memantine or acetylcholinesterase inhibitors (AChEI) that exceeds the normal recommended dose range or have not achieved a stable dose for the 30 days prior to enrollment. 22. Any contraindication for performing a brain MRI and/or Amyloid PET scan. 23. Any participant whose safety the investigator considers to be at risk from this trial's intervention. 24. Participants with any medically unstable/uncontrolled conditions. 25. Any suicidal behavior in the past 2 years (i.e. actual attempt, interrupted attempt, aborted attempt, or preparatory acts or behavior). 26. Any suicidal ideation of type 4 or 5 in the C-SSRS in the past 3 months (i.e. active suicidal thought with intent but without specific plan, or active suicidal thought with plan and intent).
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Genom att skicka in godkänner du våra Användarvillkor
Conditions
The condition(s) this trial relates to.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
How to take part
Only the study team decides who joins. These are the ways to reach them.
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The study's own enquiry address
This study publishes an address for enquiries. See it below .
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The places running it
6 sites. The list below names each one and where it is.
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The official record
ClinicalTrials.gov lists the study team's own contact details, including names and phone numbers. We don't republish those.
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A doctor treating you
A doctor who knows your case can contact a study site on your behalf, and can tell you whether this study is worth pursuing at all.
Contacts and locations
Show contact details
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Study contacts
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Contact
Email: •••••@•••••
Locations
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AdventHealth Research Institute
RECRUITINGOrlando, Florida, 32804, United States
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Alzheimer's Disease Research Center
RECRUITINGAlbany, New York, 12208, United States
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Behavioral Research Specialists, LLC
RECRUITINGGlendale, California, 91206, United States
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K2 Medical Research
RECRUITINGMaitland, Florida, 32751, United States
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Ottawa Memory Clinic
WITHDRAWNOttawa, Ontario, K1Z 1G3, Canada
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Rutgers Health
RECRUITINGNewark, New Jersey, 07107, United States
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Syrentis Clinical Research
RECRUITINGSanta Ana, California, 92705, United States
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Valiance Clinical Research
WITHDRAWNTarzana, California, 91356, United States