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Press Releases

January 03, 2017

Kite Pharma Submits Investigational New Drug (IND) Application for KITE-718, an Investigational Next Generation T-Cell Receptor (TCR) Therapy Targeting Cancer Antigens MAGE A3 and MAGE A6

  • Directed Against a Validated TCR Target in Solid Tumors
  • Built on the National Cancer Institute Proof of Concept Work and Optimized to Include Next Generation T-cell Manufacturing Technologies

SANTA MONICA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Kite Pharma, Inc. (Nasdaq:KITE) today announced that it has submitted an Investigational New Drug (IND) application with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to initiate a Phase 1 trial of KITE-718, a T cell therapy engineered to express T cell receptors (TCRs) that target MAGE A3 and MAGE A6. MAGE A3/A6 are frequently found in common tumors including bladder, esophageal, head and neck, lung and ovarian cancers. KITE-718 recognizes the MAGE A3 and MAGE A6 fragments bound to a Class II HLA (DPB1*04:01) and therefore has the potential to kill tumor cells both directly and indirectly through activation of the immune system given it incorporates a class II TCR. Class II HLA (DPB1*04:01) is found in 50 percent to 70 percent of Caucasians. The trial is designed to assess the safety and anti-tumor effect of KITE-718 on these solid tumors.

"Submission of this IND is an important milestone for our solid tumor strategy utilizing engineered T cell therapy based on both TCR and CAR platform technology," said David Chang, M.D., Ph.D., Executive Vice President of Research and Development and Chief Medical Officer of Kite. "TCRs have the potential to access a broad spectrum of tumor targets and we have incorporated our next generation cell manufacturing technologies into KITE-718 to exploit targets naturally expressed in common solid tumors for which there is a great unmet medical need."

KITE-718 is built on the proof of concept data established by the National Cancer Institute's (NCI) MAGE A3/A6 TCR program (NCT02111850). No off-target toxicity was observed in the NCI study, and evidence of tumor regression was seen in patients with multiple types of solid tumors. KITE-718 has been optimized from the foundational work at the NCI by streamlining the manufacturing process through advanced technologies and next-generation cell manufacturing conditions.

About Kite Pharma

Kite Pharma, Inc., is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company engaged in the development of novel cancer immunotherapy products, with a primary focus on engineered autologous cell therapy (eACT™) designed to restore the immune system's ability to recognize and eradicate tumors. Kite is based in Santa Monica, CA. For more information on Kite Pharma, please visit www.kitepharma.com. Sign up to follow @KitePharma on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/kitepharma.

Cautionary Note on Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements for purposes of the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. The press release may, in some cases, use terms such as "predicts," "believes," "potential," "proposed," "continue," "estimates," "anticipates," "expects," "plans," "intends," "may," "could," "might," "will," "should" or other words that convey uncertainty of future events or outcomes to identify these forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements include statements regarding intentions, beliefs, projections, outlook, analyses or current expectations concerning, among other things: the ability to advance and the success of KITE-718 directed against MAGE A3/A6 antigens. Various factors may cause differences between Kite's expectations and actual results as discussed in greater detail in Kite's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including without limitation in its Form 10-Q for the quarter ended September 30, 2016. Any forward-looking statements that are made in this press release speak only as of the date of this press release. Kite assumes no obligation to update the forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, after the date of this press release.

Kite Pharma
Christine Cassiano
SVP, Corporate Communications & Investor Relations
ccassiano@kitepharma.com
or
Greg Mann
VP, Investor Relations
gmann@kitepharma.com

Source: Kite Pharma, Inc.

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