IN8bio Appoints Oxana Polyakova, Ph.D., as Senior Vice President of Research & Development

IN8bio hires veteran γδ T cell scientist Oxana Polyakova to drive development of its γδ T cell engager platform and broader R&D strategy.

Rhea-AI Summary

IN8bio (INAB) appointed Oxana Polyakova, Ph.D., as Senior Vice President of Research & Development, adding a veteran γδ T cell and T cell engager specialist to its leadership team. She brings 20 years of drug discovery and development experience across oncology, immunology, cell therapies, antibodies and engager-based therapeutics.

Polyakova previously served as Chief Scientific Officer at LAVA Therapeutics and LIfT Biosciences and was Scientific Founder and Head of Discovery at Adaptate Biotherapeutics, a γδ T cell engager spinout of GammaDelta Therapeutics that was acquired by Takeda. In her new role, she will help lead IN8bio’s R&D strategy, with a focus on strengthening and accelerating its γδ T cell engager programs and expanding the INB-600 platform across oncology and autoimmune indications.

Market Context

On August 6, IN8bio’s earnings disclosure reported INB-619 entering IND-enabling studies, a same-pla...

Analysis

On August 6, IN8bio’s earnings disclosure reported INB-619 entering IND-enabling studies, a same-platform development reference for the appointment’s focus on T-cell engager programs.

Key Figures

Drug development experience: 20 years

Drug development experience

20 years

Oxana Polyakova's oncology, immunology, cell therapy and engager experience

Historical Context

1 past event · Latest: Aug 06

1 event

1. Aug 06

   Earnings report

   24h Move

   +0.9%

   INB-619 entered IND-enabling studies alongside updated DeltEx DRI clinical data

24h Move is the share-price change in the day after each event; other market factors may also have contributed.

Key Terms

t cell engager, bispecific, allogeneic, autologous, +1 more

5 terms

t cell engager medical

"γδ T cell and T cell engager (TCE) expert"

A T cell engager is an engineered protein drug that physically links a patient’s T cell — the immune system’s attack cell — to a diseased cell so the T cell will recognize and kill it. For investors it matters because clinical trial results, manufacturing success and safety profiles determine whether the therapy becomes a widely adopted, high-value treatment or a costly failure; think of it like a matchmaker that must reliably bring soldiers to the right target without triggering friendly fire.

bispecific medical

"developing bispecific γδ T cell engagers"

A bispecific molecule is a therapeutic designed to bind two different biological targets at once — imagine a two-headed key that fits two locks simultaneously. For investors, bispecific therapies matter because that dual-action can make a treatment more effective or selective, potentially improving clinical results, altering safety profiles, and creating a stronger commercial edge; those factors directly affect development risk, regulatory chances, and future revenue prospects.

allogeneic medical

"an allogeneic γδ T cell candidate"

Allogeneic describes a process or material involving different individuals of the same species, such as cells, tissues, or organs donated from one person to another. It is important to investors because products or treatments based on allogeneic sources can enable scalable, off-the-shelf solutions, potentially reducing costs and increasing accessibility in healthcare and biotech industries.

autologous medical

"an autologous genetically modified γδ T cell candidate"

Autologous describes a medical product or treatment made from a patient’s own cells or tissues rather than from a donor. For investors, autologous approaches matter because they can lower the risk of immune rejection and improve effectiveness, but they often require individualized manufacturing, complex logistics, and higher per-patient costs—factors that affect scalability, pricing, and regulatory hurdles in healthcare businesses.

haploidentical medical

"undergoing haploidentical stem cell transplantation"

Haploidentical describes a donor-recipient match in which the donor shares roughly half of the human leukocyte antigen (HLA) markers needed for immune compatibility, commonly a parent, child, or sibling. Think of it like a half-match in a puzzle: pieces line up enough to work but not perfectly, so treatment requires specific medical steps to prevent rejection or complications. It matters to investors because haploidentical transplants expand the pool of usable donors and drive demand for associated drugs, devices, and procedures.

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Renowned γδ T cell and T cell engager (TCE) expert brings two decades of drug discovery and development experience to IN8bio

Appointment strengthens IN8bio’s leadership and domain expertise as they advance their novel γδ T cell engager platform

NEW YORK, Sept. 09, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- IN8bio, Inc. (Nasdaq: INAB), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing innovative gamma-delta (γδ) T cell therapies and T cell engagers for cancer and autoimmune diseases, today announced the appointment of Oxana Polyakova, Ph.D., as Senior Vice President of Research & Development. Dr. Polyakova is a recognized leader in γδ T cell biology and the discovery and development of γδ T cell engagers (TCEs), with 20 years of experience spanning oncology, immunology, cell therapies, antibodies and engager-based therapeutics.

Dr. Polyakova joins IN8bio from LAVA Therapeutics, a clinical-stage immuno-oncology company developing bispecific γδ T cell engagers, where she served as Chief Scientific Officer. She previously served as Chief Scientific Officer at LIfT Biosciences, a biotechnology company developing a first-in-class neutrophil-based therapy for the treatment of solid tumors, deepening her expertise in innate immunity. She was Scientific Founder and Head of Discovery at Adaptate Biotherapeutics, a γδ TCE focused spinout of GammaDelta Therapeutics, which was acquired by Takeda. At Adaptate, she designed and led its R&D strategy, established its laboratories and built its R&D team. Prior to Adaptate, Dr. Polyakova served as the Protein and Molecular Leader at GammaDelta Therapeutics. Early in her career, she held scientific and R&D leadership positions at Kesios Therapeutics, Immunocore and GlaxoSmithKline (now GSK).

“Oxana is one of the leading scientific minds in γδ T cell biology, with deep expertise in γδ T cell engagers,” said Lawrence Lamb, Ph.D., Chief Scientific Officer and co-founder of IN8bio. “Her experience and success translating novel γδ T cell biology into therapeutic programs makes her an exceptional addition to our leadership team. We have enjoyed working with Oxana over the past year and welcome her full-time as we advance our TCE pipeline towards the clinic. Oxana’s expertise will be instrumental in accelerating the development of a new generation of γδ T cell-based therapies for patients.”

“IN8bio is a leading company in γδ T cells that has a differentiated understanding of its biology and how these cells can be harnessed to attack cancer and autoimmune disease,” said Dr. Polyakova. “I have spent much of my career exploring the unique therapeutic potential of γδ T cells, including both T cell engagers and cell-based therapies. I am excited to join IN8bio at this stage of its evolution and to work to advance their novel γδ TCE platform into the clinic and to new indications that have the potential to meaningfully improve outcomes for patients.”

In her new role, Dr. Polyakova will help lead IN8bio’s research and development strategy, with a particular focus on strengthening and accelerating the Company’s T cell engager programs and expanding the potential of its platform across therapeutic areas in autoimmune and oncology.

About IN8bio

IN8bio is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing γδ T cell and γδ T cell engager (TCE) product candidates to address unmet medical needs. γδ T cells are a specialized population of T cells that possess unique properties, including the ability to differentiate between healthy and diseased tissue. The Company’s pipeline is anchored by INB-600, a novel γδ T cell engager platform with potential applications across oncology and autoimmune indications. IN8bio is also advancing INB-100, an allogeneic γδ T cell candidate for adult patients with high-risk leukemias undergoing haploidentical stem cell transplantation, and INB-200/400, an autologous genetically modified γδ T cell candidate for newly diagnosed glioblastoma (GBM). For more information about IN8bio, visit www.IN8bio.com.

Investors and Corporate Contact:

IN8bio, Inc.
Patrick McCall
646.933.5603
pfmccall@IN8bio.com

Media Contact
Kimberly Ha
KKH Advisors
917.291.5744
kimberly.ha@kkhadvisors.com

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/fe724a34-a144-448e-81c3-f14ca2105673

FAQ

What will Dr. Oxana Polyakova focus on in her new role at IN8bio?

Dr. Polyakova will help lead IN8bio’s research and development strategy, with particular focus on strengthening and accelerating the company’s T cell engager programs and expanding the potential of its γδ T cell platform across oncology and autoimmune therapeutic areas.

What product candidates are currently in IN8bio’s pipeline?

IN8bio’s pipeline is anchored by INB-600, a γδ T cell engager platform with potential applications in oncology and autoimmune indications. The company is also advancing INB-100, an allogeneic γδ T cell candidate for adult patients with high-risk leukemias undergoing haploidentical stem cell transplantation, and INB-200/400, an autologous genetically modified γδ T cell candidate for newly diagnosed glioblastoma.