Kite Pharma Announces Presentations at the Upcoming 56th American Society of Hematology Annual Meeting

SANTA MONICA, Calif., Nov. 18, 2014 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Kite Pharma, Inc., (Nasdaq:KITE), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on developing engineered autologous T cell therapy (eACT™) products for the treatment of cancer, today announced upcoming oral presentations related to KTE-C19, the Company's most advanced product candidate, that will take place at the 56th American Society of Hematology (ASH) Annual Meeting in San Francisco, California, December 6-9, 2014. KTE-C19 is an anti-CD19 chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cell therapy that involves genetically modifying a patient's T cells to express a CAR designed to target CD19, a protein expressed on the cell surface of B cell lymphomas and leukemias. The scheduled presentations are:

2014 ASH Annual Meeting Presentations

• "Anti-CD19 CAR T Cells Administered after Low-Dose Chemotherapy Can Induce Remissions of Chemotherapy-Refractory Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma"

Date: Monday, December 8, 2014: 3:30 PM PacificSession: 801. Gene Therapy and Transfer IAbstract number: 550Location: Moscone Center, South Building, Gateway Ballroom 104Presenter: James N Kochenderfer, M.D., Investigator, Experimental Transplantation and Immunology Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute

• "Intent-to-Treat Results of a Phase I Trial of CD19 Chimeric Antigen Receptor Engineered T Cells Using a Consistent Treatment Regimen Reveals a 67% Complete Response Rate in Relapsed, Refractory Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia"

Date: Monday, December 8, 2014: 11:00 AM PacificSession: 614. Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia: Therapy, excluding Transplantation: Immunotherapeutic Trials in ALLAbstract number: 381Location: Moscone Center, West Building, 3009-3011-3022-3024Presenter: Daniel W. Lee III, M.D., Assistant Clinical Investigator, Pediatric Oncology Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute

• "Curative Potential of Cell Transfer Therapy for Cancer"

Date: Sunday, December 7, 2014: 9:30 AM-11:00 AM PacificSession: Special Scientific Symposium on Chimeric Antigen Receptor T-Cell TherapyLocation: Moscone Center, West Building, 3007-3009-3011-3020-3022-3024Presenter: Steven A. Rosenberg, M.D., Ph.D., Chief, Surgery Branch, Head, Tumor Immunology Section, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute

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 eACT™ designed to restore the immune system's ability to recognize and eradicate tumors. In partnership with the NCI Surgery Branch through a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA), Kite is advancing a pipeline of proprietary eACT™ product candidates, both CAR (chimeric antigen receptor) and TCR (T cell receptor) products, directed to a wide range of cancer indications. Kite is based in Santa Monica, CA. For more information on Kite Pharma, please visit www.kitepharma.com.

CONTACT: Kite Contact:

         Cynthia M. Butitta

         Chief Financial Officer and Chief Operating Officer

         310-824-9999

         

         For Media: Justin Jackson

         For Investor Inquiries: Kimberly Minarovich

         Burns McClellan

         (212) 213-0006

         jjackson@burnsmc.com