— Agreement Provides Kit with Additional Expertise in Oncology Synthetic Biology Space —
SANTA MONICA, Calif. & MENLO PARK, Calif.–( BUSINESS WIRE )– Kite, a Gilead Company (Nasdaq: GILD ) and Refuge Biotechnologies, Inc. (“Refuge”), today announced that Kite has entered into an exclusive, worldwide license agreement with Refuge, a synthetic biology cancer immunotherapy company, for the exclusive rights to use Refuge’s proprietary gene expression platform to develop treatments possible for blood cancer.
Refuge’s proprietary platform is a synthetic biological system that uses an expression modulation strategy to repress or activate the transcription of target genes. Early preclinical data suggest a potential for this highly modular platform to regulate target antigen-dependent gene expression as a means to improve the efficacy and safety of first-generation CAR T-cell therapies. Kite will have an exclusive license to Refuge’s intellectual property portfolio for use in blood cancers, as well as a library of synthetic gene expression programs for these indications. Refuge will retain all rights and programs related to solid tumor indications.
“First-generation autologous CAR T-cell therapies have dramatically changed outcomes for people with certain blood cancers, but more work needs to be done to reach other patients. As the global leader in CAR T-cell therapy, Kite is working on the next generation of cell therapies with the goal of improving the excellent results we have today so that more patients can benefit,” said Francesco Marincola, MD, Global Head of Cell Therapy. Research, Kite. “Through this exclusive license agreement with Refuge’s platform, together with our unique in-house research capabilities, we aim to create a new generation of CAR T-cell products to drive long-term remissions for more patients.”
“As a leader in advancing cell therapy from research to life-changing therapies, Kite is an ideal partner for Refuge as we look to further evaluate the promise of Refuge’s proprietary platform,” said Jing Zhao, Chief Business Officer, Refuge . “We look forward to working closely with Kite in this area as we continue to advance our research and in-house therapeutic programs focused on solid tumors.”
Under the terms of the agreement, Kite will be responsible for all costs and activities related to research, development, production and commercialization. Kite will also make an upfront payment to Refuge and Refuge will be eligible to receive potential performance-based regulatory achievement payments.
About Kite
Kite, a Gilead company, is a global biopharmaceutical company based in Santa Monica, California, with manufacturing operations in North America and Europe. Kite’s sole focus is cell therapy to treat and potentially cure cancer. As the cell therapy leader, Kite has more CAR T indications approved to help more patients than any other company. For more information on Kite, please visit www.kitepharma.com. Follow Kite on social media on Twitter (@KitePharma) and LinkedIn.
About Gilead Sciences
Gilead Sciences, Inc. is a biopharmaceutical company that has pursued and achieved breakthroughs in medicine for more than three decades, with the goal of creating a healthier world for all people. The company is committed to advancing innovative medicines to prevent and treat life-threatening diseases, including HIV, viral hepatitis and cancer. Gilead operates in more than 35 countries worldwide, with headquarters in Foster City, California.
About Refugee Biotechnologies
Refuge Biotechnologies is a synthetic biology company developing smart cell therapies for cancer immunotherapy. By binding specific ligand receptors to dCas, Refuge enables cells to sense their surroundings and conditionally activate or suppress multiple genes when they encounter specific external antigens. In particular, with receptor-dCas, immune cells can now be engineered to conditionally turn off or turn on immune-inhibitory or immune-stimulatory genes on demand, to generate more potent CAR-T immune cells when they sense the presence of a the tumor. cell. For more information, please visit www.refugebiotech.com.
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release 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 risk that Kite may not realize the anticipated benefits thereof licensing agreement with Refuge Biotechnologies; unforeseen difficulties or expenses related to the licensing agreement and the potential effect on Kite’s earnings; the possibility for the parties to make a strategic decision to terminate this agreement at any time; the parties’ ability to initiate, progress or complete clinical trials within the currently anticipated timeframes or at all, and the possibility of adverse results from ongoing or additional trials, including those involving potential blood cancer treatments developed using Refuge’s proprietary gene expression platform; and any assumptions underlying any of the foregoing. These and other risks, uncertainties and factors are described in detail in Gilead’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2022, as filed with the US Securities and Exchange Commission. These risks, uncertainties and other factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those mentioned in the forward-looking statements. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, are statements that may be considered 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 reliance on such forward-looking statements. All forward-looking statements are based on information currently available to Kite and Gilead, and Kite and Gilead undertake no obligation and disclaim any intention to update any such forward-looking statements.
Kite, the Kite logo and GILEAD are trademarks of Gilead Sciences, Inc. or related companies
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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 Twitter (@KitePharma) and LinkedIn.
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Jacquie Ross, Investors
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Source: Gilead Sciences, Inc.
