Kite Pharma and GE Global Research Announce Strategic Collaboration to Automate Manufacturing of Engineered T Cell Therapies

Kite Pharma, Inc. KITE, a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on developing engineered autologous T cell therapy (eACT™) products for the treatment of cancer, and GE Global Research GE, the centralized research and development hub for GE, today announced that they have formed a strategic research collaboration to develop a next-generation, functionally integrated and automated manufacturing system for engineered T cell therapy. Kite and GE Global Research aim to change the paradigm of engineered T cell therapy manufacturing by accelerating the development of automation technologies that have the potential to reduce cost, improve speed, and minimize variability. As a result, automated manufacturing technologies could enable more widespread availability of engineered T cell therapies. This collaboration brings together complementary capabilities from each company, including Kite's scientific leadership in T cell biology and manufacturing and GE Global Research's deep expertise in the design and development of innovative manufacturing applications for the biopharmaceutical industry. "We are excited to announce a strategic collaboration with GE Global Research, a world leader in medical technologies and a company that shares our commitment to the future of T cell-based immunotherapy," said Arie Belldegrun, M.D., FACS, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of Kite. "GE Global Research is the ideal partner to realize our vision to advance engineered T cell manufacturing to a functionally integrated and fully automated process. This unique partnership further positions us to deliver on the promise of T cell-based cancer immunotherapy for patients worldwide." Michael Idelchik, Vice President for Advanced Technologies at GE Global Research, said, "Cell-based immunotherapy has tremendous potential and could fundamentally change the way various diseases are treated. Together with Kite, a scientific pioneer in the field, we are focused on advancing innovation, delivering end-to-end manufacturing solutions, and building a robust ecosystem that supports widespread adoption of these important therapies and the industry as a whole." Under the terms of the agreement, Kite and GE Global Research will each contribute resources and relevant expertise to the partnership. Further terms of the agreement are not being disclosed.