U.S. FDA Grants Full Approval of Kite’s Tecartus® for Adult Patients with Relapsed or Refractory Mantle Cell Lymphoma

SANTA MONICA, Calif. – April 2, 2026 – The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted traditional (full) approval to Kite’s CAR T-cell therapy, Tecartus^® (brexucabtagene autoleucel), for adult patients with relapsed or refractory (R/R) mantle cell lymphoma (MCL). The full approval now includes efficacy, safety and pharmacokinetic data from Cohort 3 of the ZUMA-2 study in patients who are R/R after one or more lines of therapy and who are Bruton tyrosine kinase inhibitor (BTKi)-naïve.

Today’s action converts the R/R MCL indication to full approval based on the totality of evidence from ZUMA-2, including confirmatory data from Cohort 3, which demonstrated high response rates, durable efficacy outcomes and a manageable safety profile consistent with prior experience. This milestone fulfills Kite’s post-marketing requirement for verification and description of clinical benefit in a confirmatory trial under the FDA’s Accelerated Approval pathway for Tecartus in R/R MCL.

“The full approval of brexu-cel in relapsed or refractory mantle cell lymphoma, along with the inclusion of Cohort 3 data in the label, reinforces our confidence in the overall profile of brexu-cel,” said Michael Wang, M.D., ZUMA-2 Lead Investigator and Professor, Department of Lymphoma and Myeloma, Division of Cancer Medicine at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center. “The Cohort 3 results showed high response rates, including deep remissions, in patients who were Bruton tyrosine kinase inhibitor-naïve, with a manageable safety profile consistent with prior experience. These data provide important information to help guide treatment decisions in the relapsed or refractory setting for appropriate patients.”

MCL is a rare form of non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) that arises from cells originating in the “mantle zone” of the lymph node and predominantly affects men over the age of 60. Approximately 33,000 people worldwide are diagnosed with MCL each year. MCL is highly aggressive following relapse, with many patients’ disease progressing following therapy.

“The full approval of Tecartus for adults with relapsed or refractory mantle cell lymphoma reflects meaningful progress,” said Gallia Levy, MD, PhD, Senior Vice President and Global Head of Development, Kite. “For those whose cancer has returned, the data support Tecartus as a second-line treatment option with the potential to deliver long-term remission.”

Data Supporting Full Approval of Tecartus in R/R MCL

ZUMA-2 is a single-arm, open-label, multicenter study evaluating Tecartus in adult patients with R/R MCL. Cohorts 1 and 2 evaluated Tecartus in patients who had previously received up to five lines of therapy including anthracycline- or bendamustine-containing chemotherapy, an anti-CD20 antibody and a BTKi. Cohort 3 evaluated Tecartus in patients who had received up to five prior lines of therapy and were BTKi-naïve. A total of 82 patients were treated in Cohorts 1 and 2, and 86 patients were treated in Cohort 3. The primary endpoint across the study was objective response rate (ORR) per the Lugano Classification (2014), as assessed by an Independent Radiologic Review Committee.

*Efficacy results shown are from the efficacy-evaluable populations reported in the updated U.S. Prescribing Information (USPI) (Cohort 1, n=60; Cohort 3, n=86). Cross-cohort comparisons should be interpreted with caution.

In the updated USPI, MCL safety data are pooled across Cohorts 1–3 (N=168). In this pooled MCL population, CRS occurred in 93% of patients, including Grade ≥3 CRS in 12%; the median time to onset was 4 days and the median duration was 7 days. Neurologic events occurred in 80% of patients, including Grade ≥3 neurologic events in 33%; the median time to onset was 6 days and the median duration was 19 days. Infections of any grade occurred in 63% of patients, including Grade ≥3 infections in 33%. In Cohort 3, serious adverse reactions occurred in 65% of patients. The most common serious adverse reactions (>2%) were non-ventricular arrhythmias, tachycardias, pyrexia, cytokine release syndrome, unspecified pathogen infections, viral infections, bacterial infections, fungal infections, musculoskeletal pain, motor dysfunction, encephalopathy, aphasia, tremor, seizure, delirium, hypoxia, hypotension, hemorrhage, and thrombosis.

About Tecartus

Tecartus is a CD19-directed genetically modified autologous T cell immunotherapy indicated for the treatment of adult patients with relapsed or refractory mantle cell lymphoma (MCL).

U.S. IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION

BOXED WARNING: CYTOKINE RELEASE SYNDROME, NEUROLOGIC TOXICITIES, and SECONDARY HEMATOLOGICAL MALIGNANCIES

• Cytokine Release Syndrome (CRS), including life-threatening reactions, occurred in patients receiving TECARTUS. Do not administer TECARTUS to patients with active infection or inflammatory disorders. Treat severe or life-threatening CRS with tocilizumab or tocilizumab and corticosteroids.
• Neurologic toxicities, including life-threatening reactions, occurred in patients receiving TECARTUS, including concurrently with CRS or after CRS resolution. Monitor for neurologic toxicities after treatment with TECARTUS. Provide supportive care and/or corticosteroids as needed.
• T cell malignancies have occurred following treatment of hematologic malignancies with BCMA- and CD19-directed genetically modified autologous T cell immunotherapies.

Cytokine Release Syndrome (CRS), including fatal or life-threatening reactions, occurred following treatment with TECARTUS. CRS occurred in 93% (157/168) of patients with MCL, including ≥ Grade 3 CRS in 12% of patients in Study 1. Among the patients with MCL who died after receiving TECARTUS, one patient had a fatal CRS event. The median time to onset of CRS was 4 days (range: 1 to 13 days). The median duration of CRS was 7 days (range: 1 to 50 days).

Confirm that a minimum of two doses of tocilizumab are available for each patient prior to infusion of TECARTUS. Monitor patients daily for at least 7 days following infusion for signs and symptoms of CRS. Monitor patients for signs or symptoms of CRS for 2 weeks after infusion. Counsel patients to seek immediate medical attention should signs or symptoms of CRS occur at any time. At the first sign of CRS, institute treatment with supportive care, tocilizumab, or tocilizumab and corticosteroids as indicated.

Neurologic Toxicities, including immune effector cell-associated neurotoxicity syndrome (ICANS) which may be severe, life-threatening or fatal, occurred following treatment with TECARTUS. Neurologic events occurred in 80% (135/168) of patients with MCL, including ≥ Grade 3 in 33% of patients in Study 1. The median time to onset for neurologic events was six days (range: 1 to 32 days). The median duration of neurologic events was 19 days (range 1 to 828 days). For patients with MCL, 105 (63%) patients experienced CRS before the onset of neurological events. Six (4%) patients did not experience CRS with neurologic events and 25 patients (15%) developed neurological events after the resolution of CRS. Neurologic events resolved for 167 out of 203 (82%) patients treated with TECARTUS. 8 patients with MCL had ongoing neurologic events at the time of death. The onset of neurologic events can be concurrent with CRS following resolution of CRS or in the absence of CRS.

Monitor patients daily for at least 7 days following infusion for signs and symptoms of neurologic toxicity/ICANS. Monitor patients for signs or symptoms of neurologic toxicities for 2 weeks after infusion and treat promptly. Advise patients to avoid driving for at least 2 weeks following infusion.

Hemophagocytic Lymphohistiocytosis/Macrophage Activation Syndrome (HLH/MAS), including life-threatening reactions, occurred following treatment with TECARTUS. HLH/MAS occurred in 4% (3/78) of patients with ALL. Two patients experienced Grade 3 events and 1 patient experienced a Grade 4 event. The median time to onset for HLH/MAS was 8 days (range: 6 to 9 days) with a median duration of 5 days (range: 2 to 8 days). All 3 patients with HLH/MAS had concurrent CRS symptoms and neurologic events after TECARTUS infusion. Treatment of HLH/MAS should be administered per institutional standards.

Hypersensitivity Reactions: Serious hypersensitivity reactions, including anaphylaxis, may occur due to dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) or residual gentamicin in TECARTUS.

Severe Infections: Severe or life-threatening infections occurred in patients after TECARTUS infusion. Infections (all grades) occurred in 63% (105/168) of patients with MCL. Grade 3 or higher infections, including bacterial, viral, and fungal infections, occurred in 33% of MCL patients. TECARTUS should not be administered to patients with clinically significant active systemic infections. Monitor patients for signs and symptoms of infection before and after infusion and treat appropriately. Administer prophylactic antimicrobials according to local guidelines.

Febrile neutropenia was observed in 4% of patients with MCL after TECARTUS infusion and may be concurrent with CRS. In the event of febrile neutropenia, evaluate for infection and manage with broad-spectrum antibiotics, fluids, and other supportive care as medically indicated.

In immunosuppressed patients, life-threatening and fatal opportunistic infections have been reported. The possibility of rare infectious etiologies (e.g., fungal and viral infections such as HHV-6 and progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy) should be considered in patients with neurologic events and appropriate diagnostic evaluations should be performed.

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) reactivation, in some cases resulting in fulminant hepatitis, hepatic failure, and death, can occur in patients treated with drugs directed against B cells. Perform screening for HBV, hepatitis C virus (HCV), and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) in accordance with clinical guidelines before collection of cells for manufacturing.

Prolonged Cytopenias: Patients may exhibit cytopenias for several weeks following lymphodepleting chemotherapy and TECARTUS infusion. In patients with MCL, Grade 3 or higher cytopenias not resolved by Day 30 following TECARTUS infusion occurred in 55% (92/168) of patients and included thrombocytopenia (32%), neutropenia (42%), and anemia (14%). Monitor blood counts after TECARTUS infusion.

Hypogammaglobulinemia: B-cell aplasia and hypogammaglobulinemia can occur in patients receiving treatment with TECARTUS. Hypogammaglobulinemia was reported in 14% (23/168) of patients with MCL. Monitor immunoglobulin levels after treatment with TECARTUS and manage using infection precautions, antibiotic prophylaxis, and immunoglobulin replacement.

The safety of immunization with live viral vaccines during or following TECARTUS treatment has not been studied. Vaccination with live virus vaccines is not recommended for at least 6 weeks prior to the start of lymphodepleting chemotherapy, during treatment, and until immune recovery following treatment with TECARTUS.

Secondary Malignancies: Patients treated with TECARTUS may develop secondary malignancies. T cell malignancies have occurred following treatment of hematologic malignancies with BCMA- and CD19-directed genetically modified autologous T cell immunotherapies. Mature T cell malignancies, including CAR-positive tumors, may present as soon as weeks following infusions, and may include fatal outcomes.

Monitor life-long for secondary malignancies. In the event that a secondary malignancy occurs, contact Kite at 1-844-454-KITE (5483) to obtain instructions on patient samples to collect for testing.

Adverse Reactions: The most common adverse reactions (incidence ≥ 20%) in MCL patients were CRS, fever, encephalopathy, hypotension, infection with pathogen unspecified, viral infections, fatigue, tachycardias, chills, hypoxia, tremor, cough, musculoskeletal pain, nausea, edema, headache, constipation, diarrhea, decreased appetite, dyspnea, rash, insomnia, pleural effusion, aphasia, and motor dysfunction.

The most common (≥ 20%) Grade 3-4 laboratory abnormalities in MCL patients were leukopenia, neutropenia, lymphopenia, thrombocytopenia, anemia, hypophosphatemia, hyperglycemia, blood uric acid increased, alanine aminotransferase increased, hyponatremia, and hypocalcemia.

Please see full Prescribing Information, including BOXED WARNING and Medication Guide.

About Gilead and Kite Oncology

Gilead and Kite Oncology are working to transform how cancer is treated. We are innovating with next-generation therapies, combinations and technologies to deliver improved outcomes for people with cancer. We are purposefully building our oncology portfolio and pipeline to address the greatest gaps in care. From antibody-drug conjugate technologies and small molecules to cell therapy-based approaches, we are creating new possibilities for people with cancer.

Forward-Looking Statements

This statement includes forward-looking statements, within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 that are subject to risks, uncertainties and other factors, including the ability of Gilead and Kite to initiate, progress or complete clinical trials within currently anticipated timelines or at all, and the possibility of unfavorable results from ongoing or additional clinical studies, including those involving Tecartus (such as ZUMA-2); uncertainties relating to regulatory applications and related filing and approval timelines, including pending or potential applications for indications currently under evaluation, and the risk that any regulatory approvals, if granted, may be subject to significant limitations on use or subject to withdrawal or other adverse actions by the applicable regulatory authority; the possibility that Gilead and Kite may make a strategic decision to discontinue development of these programs and, as a result, these programs may never be successfully commercialized for the indications currently under evaluation; the risk that physicians may not see the benefits of prescribing Tecartus for R/R MCL; and any assumptions underlying any of the foregoing. These and other risks are described in detail in Gilead’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2025, as filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. These risks, uncertainties and other factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those referred to in the forward-looking statements. All statements other than statements of historical fact are statements that could be deemed forward-looking statements. The reader is cautioned that any such forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve risks and uncertainties, and the reader is cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. All forward-looking statements are based on information currently available to Gilead and Kite, and Gilead and Kite assume no obligation and disclaim any intent to update any such forward-looking statements.

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For more information on Kite, please visit the company’s website at www.kitepharma.com. Follow Kite on social media on X (@KitePharma) and LinkedIn