SANTA MONICA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- 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 that the Company has entered into an exclusive, worldwide license with the National Institutes of Health (NIH) for intellectual property related to a fully human anti-CD19 chimeric antigen receptor-based product candidate directed against B-cell malignancies. The National Cancer Institute (NCI), with Dr. James N. Kochenderfer, M.D., an investigator in the Experimental Transplantation and Immunology Branch of the NCI, is currently conducting a Phase 1 clinical trial of the product candidate in patients with B-cell malignancies under an existing Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) between Kite and the NCI.
"The expansion of our CAR-T pipeline to include a fully human anti-CD19 chimeric antigen receptor supports our effort to maximize the potential benefit of CAR-T therapies for patients with advanced B-cell malignancies. As the field of T-cell therapy continues its rapid advancement, we remain committed to collaborating with the world's most distinguished institutions and accessing the most significant enabling technologies to pioneer the next generation of T-cell therapies," said Arie Belldegrun, M.D., FACS, Chairman, President, and Chief Executive Officer.
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 www.twitter.com/kitepharma.
Kite Pharma, Inc. 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 a fully human anti-CD19 chimeric antigen receptor-based product candidate directed against B-cell malignancies and the ability and willingness of the NCI to continue research and development activities pursuant to the CRADA. 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 filed with the SEC on May 9, 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.
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Kite Pharma Contacts:Greg MannKite PharmaVP, Investor Relationsgmann@kitepharma.comorFor Media:inVentiv HealthDavid Polk310-309-1029david.polk@inventivhealth.com
Source: Kite Pharma, Inc.
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