IN8bio Taps Operational Architect to Accelerate Novel Cancer Therapies

NEW YORK, NY – February 09, 2026 – In a strategic move signaling a commitment to accelerated execution, clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company IN8bio has promoted Kate Rochlin, Ph.D., to the dual role of President and Chief Operating Officer. The promotion, effective immediately, places a proven operational leader at the helm as the company navigates the critical next phase of developing its innovative gamma-delta (γδ) T cell therapies for cancer and autoimmune diseases.

Dr. Rochlin, who has served as IN8bio’s Chief Operating Officer since December 2021, will now assume broader leadership responsibilities while continuing to oversee the company's complex operations. The move is widely seen as an endorsement of her track record in translating ambitious scientific strategy into disciplined clinical and manufacturing progress, a crucial skill set for a biotech firm facing both immense opportunity and a volatile market.

“Kate has been instrumental in translating IN8bio’s strategy into disciplined execution,” said William Ho, Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder of IN8bio, in a statement accompanying the announcement. “Through her leadership and ability to align teams across operations, manufacturing, clinical, and research, she has played a central role in advancing our clinical programs, and T cell engager platform and delivering critical milestones on schedule. I am confident that her promotion to President will further strengthen the organization.”

A Pipeline at a Pivotal Point

IN8bio is a key player in the burgeoning field of gamma-delta T cell therapy, which leverages a unique type of immune cell with the innate ability to distinguish between healthy and diseased tissue. Unlike more common T cell therapies, γδ T cells can target cancer cells without the same need for complex genetic matching, opening the door to potentially safer and more broadly applicable “off-the-shelf” treatments.

The company’s pipeline is at a crucial juncture, with encouraging data emerging from multiple clinical programs. Its top priority, INB-100, is being evaluated in a Phase 1 trial for acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Early data has been highly promising, with initial observations showing a 100% one-year progression-free survival rate in patients who received the therapy following a stem cell transplant. The trial is now expanding to enroll additional patients to build on these compelling results.

Perhaps most strikingly, IN8bio’s programs for glioblastoma (GBM), an aggressive and notoriously difficult-to-treat brain cancer, have shown significant potential. Consolidated data from the INB-200 and INB-400 trials, presented in late 2025, demonstrated that patients receiving repeated doses of IN8bio's therapy achieved a median progression-free survival of 13.0 months—nearly double the 6.6 months observed in a control group receiving the standard of care. More importantly, the treatment has been well-tolerated, with several patients remaining in remission for years. One patient from the INB-200 trial is reportedly in remission four years post-treatment, a remarkable outcome for this devastating disease.

Dr. Rochlin's operational oversight has been central to these advances, particularly in developing and expanding the clinical manufacturing programs necessary to deliver these complex cell therapies consistently across multiple trial sites.

Driving Innovation Beyond the Clinic

Beyond its ongoing clinical trials, Dr. Rochlin has been a key driver of the company’s preclinical innovation, particularly its novel T cell engager platform. The press release highlighted her role in advancing INB-619, a potential first-in-class, pan-γδ T cell engager designed for deep B cell depletion in autoimmune diseases. Preclinical data showed that INB-619 achieved complete B cell depletion comparable to currently approved therapies but with minimal adverse cytokine release, a common and dangerous side effect of similar treatments. This differentiated safety profile, coupled with robust expansion of γδ T cells, validates the platform's unique approach and supports its advancement toward clinical trials.

This focus on next-generation platforms is critical as IN8bio competes in a dynamic field. While it is recognized as one of the first companies to bring genetically modified gamma-delta T cells into the clinic, it faces competition from other well-funded players like Adicet Bio and TC BioPharm, as well as larger pharmaceutical companies like Takeda, which entered the space through acquisition.

“I’m honored to take on this expanded role and broader leadership responsibilities at such an important time for IN8bio,” Dr. Rochlin stated. “With encouraging clinical data emerging from our γδ T cell therapy programs and novel gamma-delta T cell engager technology, we are well positioned to build on this momentum.”

A Strategic Ascent Amid Market Realities

Dr. Rochlin’s promotion comes at a time when operational excellence is not just a goal but a necessity for survival in the biotech sector. Like many of its clinical-stage peers, IN8bio has navigated a challenging financial environment. The company’s market capitalization has fluctuated, and it has taken steps to preserve capital, including a workforce reduction in 2024 to prioritize its most promising programs. A private placement announced in late 2025 aimed to secure funding specifically for its novel engager platform, underscoring the need for disciplined capital allocation.

In this context, elevating an executive with a proven talent for execution is a clear strategic signal. Dr. Rochlin brings over 17 years of diverse experience to the role, with a background that spans scientific research, business development, and entrepreneurship. Before joining IN8bio in 2020, she was Chief Business Officer at Curadigm, where she helped lead the company’s spin-out from Nanobiotix. She also co-founded Immunovent, a biotech focused on allergy diagnostics.

Her journey reflects a deep integration of science and business, rooted in a Ph.D. in Molecular Biology and Genetics from Weill Cornell Medical College and research at the prestigious Sloan Kettering Institute. This blend of scientific acumen and operational expertise makes her uniquely suited to guide IN8bio’s assets from the lab to the market.

Her ascent also highlights a positive trend of experienced female scientists taking top leadership positions in the biopharmaceutical industry. As IN8bio moves forward, its success will depend not only on the promise of its science but on the steady hand guiding its strategy and execution. With Dr. Rochlin’s promotion, the company has firmly placed its bet on an architect of acceleration to build its future.