Kite Pharma, Inc. has amended its Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) with the National Cancer Institute (NCI) to include emerging research in immune response to tumor neo-antigens, tumor-specific antigens associated with genetic mutations. Also, new T cell receptor (TCR) and new chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) product candidates targeting solid tumors have been added to the collaboration. The amendment provides additional product candidates for Kite’s pipeline.
 
The additional programs will explore methods of rapidly identifying and developing TCR product candidates targeted against neo-antigens, new methods to manufacture this new class of individualized therapies, and developing additional TCR product candidates retrovirally engineered to target tumor antigens for the treatment of colorectal and lung cancers.
 
“Neo-antigen immunotherapy will allow us to design a cancer treatment that can modify a patient’s T cells to recognize the unique genetic profile of the patient’s own tumor. This offers a new paradigm in cancer care and extends the significant progress we have achieved in collaboration with Dr. Steven Rosenberg, Chief of Surgery, and his clinical research teams at the NCI,” said Arie Belldegrun, M.D., FACS, Kite Pharma’s president and chief executive officer.
 
David Chang, M.D., Ph.D., Kite Pharma’s executive vice president, R&D, and chief medical officer, said, “This year, we have substantially broadened our plan and vision for clinical development, engaging in a strategic R&D collaboration with Amgen, combining their cancer targets with our T cell platform technology, as well as expanding our agreement with Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center to develop novel approaches to CAR T cell therapy. The new research under our CRADA with the NCI further extends our clinical programs, particularly in regard to new TCR approaches.”