Kite exercises option for NIH T-cell receptor candidates

Kite Pharma Inc. (Los Angeles, Calif.) exercised an option for exclusive, worldwide rights to commercialize IP from NIH related to T cell receptor ( TCR)-based therapies that target cancer/testis antigen 1B ( CTAG1B; NY-ESO-1) to treat NY-ESO-1-expressing cancers. NIH will be eligible for undisclosed clinical, regulatory and sales milestone payments and royalties. Kite gained the option through a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) with NIH, under which the partners are developing engineered autologous T cell therapies for multiple cancer indications. The company declined to disclose additional details (see BioCentury, Feb. 4, 2013). ...