Kite and Refuge Biotechnologies Announce Exclusive License Agreement for Investigational Gene Expression Platform for Blood Cancers

-- Agreement Provides Kite with Additional Expertise in Synthetic Biology Space for Oncology --

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 company for cancer immunotherapy, for exclusive rights to utilize Refuge's proprietary gene expression platform to develop potential treatments for blood cancers.

Refuge's proprietary platform is a synthetic biology system that utilizes an expression modulation strategy to repress or activate transcription of target genes. Early pre-clinical data suggest a potential for this highly modular platform to regulate target antigen-dependent gene expression as a means to improve upon both 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 yet more work needs to be done to reach additional patients. As the global CAR T-cell therapy leader, Kite is working on the next generation of cell therapies with the goal to improve upon the great results we have today so more patients can benefit," said Francesco Marincola, MD, Global Head of Cell Therapy Research, Kite. "Through this exclusive license agreement with Refuge's platform, coupled with our unique in-house research capabilities, we aim to create a new generation of CAR T-cell products to induce long-term remissions for more patients."

"As a leader in the advancement of cell therapy from research to life-changing therapeutics, Kite is an ideal partner for Refuge as we seek to further evaluate the promise of Refuge's proprietary platform," said Jing Zhao, Chief Business Officer, Refuge. "We look forward to collaborating closely with Kite in this area, while continuing to advance our internal therapeutic research and programs focused on solid tumors."

Under the terms of the agreement, Kite will be responsible for all costs and activities related to research, development, manufacturing and commercialization. Kite will also make an upfront payment to Refuge and Refuge will be eligible to receive potential performance-based regulatory milestone 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 singular focus is cell therapy to treat and potentially cure cancer. As the cell therapy leader, Kite has more approved CAR T indications 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 Refuge Biotechnologies

Refuge Biotechnologies is a synthetic biology company developing intelligent cell therapeutics for cancer immunotherapy. By connecting ligand specific receptors to dCas, Refuge enables cells to sense its surroundings and conditionally activate or repress multiple genes when they encounter specific external antigens. In particular, with receptor-dCas, immune cells can now be engineered to conditionally turn off or on certain immune-inhibitory or immune-stimulatory genes on-demand, to generate more potent CAR-T immune cells when it senses the presence of a tumor cell. For further 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 of this licensing agreement with Refuge Biotechnologies; difficulties or unanticipated expenses in connection with the licensing agreement and the potential effect on Kite's earnings; the possibility that the parties may make a strategic decision to terminate this agreement at any time; the ability of the parties to initiate, progress or complete clinical trials within currently anticipated timelines or at all, and the possibility of unfavorable results from ongoing or additional trials, including those involving potential treatments for blood cancers developed utilizing Refuge's proprietary gene expression platform; and any assumptions underlying any of the foregoing. These and other risks, uncertainties and other 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 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 is cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. All forward-looking statements are based on information currently available to Kite and Gilead, and Kite and Gilead assume no obligation and disclaim any intent to update any such forward-looking statements.

Kite, the Kite logo, and GILEAD are trademarks of Gilead Sciences, Inc. or its related companies   .

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 .

Jacquie Ross, Investors
investor_relations@gilead.com

Tracy Rossin, Media
trossin@kitepharma.com

News Provided by Business Wire via QuoteMedia

GILD
The Conversation (0)
CHMP Adopts Positive Opinion Recommending Hepcludex®  for Full Marketing Authorization for the Treatment of Hepatitis Delta Virus

CHMP Adopts Positive Opinion Recommending Hepcludex® for Full Marketing Authorization for the Treatment of Hepatitis Delta Virus

--   If Granted by the European Commission, Hepcludex will Become the Only Approved Treatment for HDV in the EU --

Gilead Sciences, Inc. (Nasdaq: GILD) today announced that the Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) of the European Medicines Agency (EMA) has adopted a positive opinion for Hepcludex ® (bulevirtide) for the treatment of adults with chronic HDV and compensated liver disease, and recommended granting full Marketing Authorisation (MA) that is no longer subject to specific obligations. Bulevirtide was initially granted conditional marketing authorisation in July 2020 to provide people living with HDV urgent access to treatment. The CHMP recommendation for full Marketing Authorisation of bulevirtide follows the submission of the Phase 3 MYR301 Week 48 study data, which reinforces the efficacy and safety profile of bulevirtide for the treatment of HDV.

News Provided by Business Wire via QuoteMedia

Keep reading...Show less
Gilead Sciences Announces First Quarter 2023 Financial Results

Gilead Sciences Announces First Quarter 2023 Financial Results

Product Sales Excluding Veklury Increased 15% Year-Over-Year to $5.7 billion

Biktarvy Sales Increased 24% Year-Over-Year to $2.7 billion

News Provided by Business Wire via QuoteMedia

Keep reading...Show less
abigail echo-hawk

CORRECTION: Contakt World Becomes Data Partner for Health Equity Tracker Project to Improve the Collection of De-Identified Racial & Ethnic Minority Data Using Smart Health RM, Engagency, and Future Services

Enables Contakt World mission to improve health equity and reduce disparities in the fight against Covid-19 and all diseases via award-winning SaaS platform

This document corrects and updates the final paragraph in the body of this news release. No other changes were required in this release.

News Provided by Newsfile via QuoteMedia

Keep reading...Show less
"investingnews.com"

Contakt World Becomes Data Partner for Health Equity Tracker Project to Improve the Collection of De-Identified Racial & Ethnic Minority Data Using Smart Health RM, Engagency, and Future Services

Enables Contakt World mission to improve health equity and reduce disparities in the fight against Covid-19 and all diseases via award-winning SaaS platform

  • Covid-19 has proven to be the "great revealer" of disparities in healthcare

  • Contakt World (CSE: HELP) and Satcher Health Leadership Institute, Morehouse School of Medicine executed a strategic collaboration in October 2020
  • Health Equity Tracker, supported by Google.org, Gilead Sciences (Nasdaq: GILD), Annie E. Casey Foundation, and CDC Foundation, is now operational
  • Contakt World's SaaS Platform, Smart Health RM, will help drive de-identified data to Health Equity Tracker to improve health equity and reduce disparities of care

Contakt World Technologies Corp. (CSE: HELP) (OTC: TLOOF) (FSE: B2I0) (the "Company" or "Contakt World") today announced its agreement in principle with Satcher Health Leadership Institute, Morehouse School of Medicine ("SHLI") to help collect de-identified demographic data for the Health Equity Tracker Project through Smart Health RM and other products and services provided by Contakt World like Engagency. This updates the previously announced collaboration between Contakt World and SHLI now that Health Equity Tracker is operational.

News Provided by Newsfile via QuoteMedia

Keep reading...Show less

HOOKIPA Advances HIV and HBV Vaccine Research with Gilead

HOOKIPA Pharma (NASDAQ:HOOK) announced that it has made progress in its collaboration with Gilead Sciences (NASDAQ:GILD) for arenavirus-based therapeutics intended to support cures for chronic Hepatitis B virus (HBV) and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infections.

As quoted in the press release:

Keep reading...Show less

AMGEN ANNOUNCES 2025 FIRST QUARTER DIVIDEND

Amgen (NASDAQ:AMGN) today announced that its Board of Directors declared a $2.38 per share dividend for the first quarter of 2025. The dividend will be paid on March 7, 2025 to all stockholders of record as of the close of business on February 14, 2025 .

About Amgen
Amgen discovers, develops, manufactures and delivers innovative medicines to help millions of patients in their fight against some of the world's toughest diseases. More than 40 years ago, Amgen helped to establish the biotechnology industry and remains on the cutting-edge of innovation, using technology and human genetic data to push beyond what's known today. Amgen is advancing a broad and deep pipeline that builds on its existing portfolio of medicines to treat cancer, heart disease, osteoporosis, inflammatory diseases and rare diseases.

News Provided by PR Newswire via QuoteMedia

Keep reading...Show less
CLEO Further Expands Ovarian Cancer Trial with Siles Health

CLEO Further Expands Ovarian Cancer Trial with Siles Health

Cleo Diagnostics (COV:AU) has announced CLEO Further Expands Ovarian Cancer Trial with Siles Health

Download the PDF here.

BLINCYTO® ADDED TO CHEMOTHERAPY SIGNIFICANTLY IMPROVES SURVIVAL IN NEWLY DIAGNOSED PEDIATRIC PATIENTS WITH B-CELL PRECURSOR ACUTE LYMPHOBLASTIC LEUKEMIA

Phase 3 Study Results Demonstrated Three Year, Disease-Free Survival of 96%

Amgen (NASDAQ:AMGN) today announced new data demonstrating that adding BLINCYTO ® (blinatumomab) to chemotherapy significantly improves disease-free survival (DFS) in newly diagnosed pediatric patients with National Cancer Institute (NCI) standard risk (SR) B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B-ALL) of average or higher risk of relapse. The data are from a Phase 3 study (AALL1731) conducted by the Children's Oncology Group. The results were simultaneously published in the New England Journal of Medicine and will be presented during the plenary session on Sunday, Dec. 8 at 2 p.m. PT at the 66 th American Society of Hematology (ASH) Annual Meeting & Exposition in San Diego .

News Provided by PR Newswire via QuoteMedia

Keep reading...Show less

AMGEN ANNOUNCES $1 BILLION MANUFACTURING EXPANSION IN NORTH CAROLINA

Investment Establishes Second Facility in Holly Springs ; Builds on Previous $550M Commitment

Amgen (NASDAQ: AMGN) today announced a $1 billion expansion to establish a second drug substance manufacturing facility in North Carolina . This brings the company's total planned investment in Holly Springs to more than $1.5 billion building on its previously announced $550 million commitment.

News Provided by PR Newswire via QuoteMedia

Keep reading...Show less

Latest Press Releases

Related News

×