Kite in deal to trial Yescarta with utomilumab

18 January 2018

Gilead Sciences’ (Nasdaq: GILD) newly-acquired subsidiary Kite Pharma has entered into a clinical trial collaboration to evaluate the safety and efficacy of the investigational combination of already approved CAR-T cell therapy Yescarta (axicabtagene ciloleucel) and Pfizer's (NYSE: PFE) utomilumab, a fully humanized 4-1BB agonist monoclonal antibody, in patients with refractory large B-cell lymphoma.

A multi-center Phase I/II study sponsored by Kite is expected to begin in 2018. The results of this study will be used to evaluate options for further development of this combination, or similar combinations between Kite's engineered T cell products and utomilumab. No financial terms of the accord have been disclosed.

Gilead acquired Kite in an $11.9 billion deal last August, with the aim of expanding its portfolio against a background of declining sales of its massive hepatitis C franchise.

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