Kite takes CARs off the shelf

As autologous CAR T cell products are making their way through the clinic, several cell therapy companies are working to develop off-the-shelf variants for faster treatment and easier manufacturing. Kite Pharma Inc. (NASDAQ:KITE) is the latest company to throw its hat in the ring and is partnering with the University of California Los Angeles to develop a T cell manufacturing technology for creating allogeneic CAR T cells.

In July, Kite announced an exclusive, worldwide licensing agreement with the Regents of the University of California for a technology involved in the production of allogeneic T cell therapies from pluripotent stem cells...