ONK Therapeutics

About ONK Therapeutics

ONK Therapeutics was founded in 2015 to develop novel anti-cancer therapies using Natural Killer (NK) cells. NK cells are one of the body's most potent defences against cancer, one of the most tumour-cytotoxic components of the human immune system. The company's strategy is to develop novel, off-the-shelf, NK cell-based therapies for cancer. Further, the company seeks to enhance these NK cells by introducing a series of genetic modifications and creating a technology platform that can be tailored to multiple cancers.

The innovation

Marc Greatrex, Director of Grants at Myriad, was introduced to Prof Michael O'Dwyer, CSO at ONK Therapeutics at the National University of Ireland in Galway in August 2018. Michael was interested in learning whether their CAR-NK project would be suitable for public funding. Marc quickly highlighted the Disruptive Technologies Innovation Fund as an excellent fit for the project and ONK Therapeutics.

The Disruptive Technologies Innovation Fund is a €500 million fund established under Project Ireland 2040 and is run by the Department of Business, Enterprise and Innovation with administrative support from Enterprise Ireland. Marc and Michael created an executive summary for the Expression of Interest. Michael recruited a best-in-class consortium of NUI Galway, Centre for Cell Manufacturing, and Janssen Sciences Ireland UC, Part of Johnson and Johnson.

How we helped

Myriad helped ONK Therapeutics put together their expression of interest towards this fund, a 20-page document covering project context, solution, impacts upon National Strategic Outcomes (NSOs) in Project Ireland 2040, project deliverables and business plan.

"We were delighted when the project and ONK Therapeutics were shortlisted by the DTIF and asked to prepare a full stage 2 application."

Again, Myriad helped ONK Therapeutics assemble a full-stage application, starting with an executive summary and using the same world-class consortium from the Expression of Interest.

The full-stage application comprised of a significant consortium application of 25 pages with separate budgets and technical appendixes from each consortium partner.

The reward

Following the submission of the documents and subsequent face-to-face interviews with the Department of Business, Enterprise & Innovation and administrative support from Enterprise Ireland – ONK Therapeutics with their consortium partners were successful and were one of 27 other projects shortlisted by the DTIF.

The total funding approved for the project was €4.3m over three years.

"Marc and the Myriad team are such pros; his work ethic and attention to detail, coupled with his strategy guidance, are so compelling, and his results speak for themselves; it can't be all down to luck."

Tony Killarney, Co-Founder, ONK Therapeutics