Senior Clinical Development Scientist

Cencora-Kite agreement signals CGT commercialization shift. Cencora will support US distribution of Kite's Yescarta and Tecartus, reducing administrative burdens and expanding CAR T-cell therapy access at authorized treatment centers. Cencora has announced an agreement with Kite to support US distribution of the company's two FDA-approved CAR T-cell therapies, Yescarta (axicabtagene ciloleucel) and Tecartus (brexucabtagene autoleucel).[`] As Kite expands its treatment center network, it will leverage Cencora's distribution infrastructure and services to support efficient access and reduce administrative burdens across sites of care, ultimately helping bring CAR T-cell therapies closer to patients who need them.[1] How could the Cencora-Kite agreement reduce time to therapy? A central aim of the collaboration is to reduce operational friction across logistics and administration that poses challenges to community oncology practices and health systems that administer CAR T-cell therapies.[1] For many patients, access to CAR T-cell therapies can be limited by systemic and institutional barriers, like capacity constraints, clinical and operational complexity, and complex reimbursement mechanisms.[2] Under the agreement, Cencora's role will span: * Order management across care cites * Specialty distribution infrastructure and expertise, including cold-chain and time-sensitive logistics * Ongoing access support to help ATCs focus on patient care rather than complex administrative coordination "Cell therapies are individualized treatments made from a patient's own cells, and pose unique challenges to healthcare providers, including health systems and community practices," said Melissa Lattanzi, vice president of emerging therapies at Cencora. "As Kite expands its treatment center network, we will leverage our distribution infrastructure and services to support efficient access and reduce administrative burdens - including order management - across sites of care, advancing Kite's goal to bring therapies closer to patients' homes." The agreement covers both new and existing sites within Kite's treatment center network, with Cencora's services intended to support a seamless experience across health systems and community oncology practices as the network grows.[1] According to Cencora, through its cell and gene therapy (CGT) service line, the company provides manufacturers with integrated solutions across the product lifecycle from market entry through commercial execution.[1] That end-to-end infrastructure is central to what Kite is looking to leverage as it scales. Why does patient access to CAR t-cell therapy remain a challenge? CAR T-cell therapies are autologous - manufactured from a patient's own T-cells - demanding a complex supply chain and access profile. Each treatment requires precise coordination between the treatment center, the manufacturer, and the distribution network, with timing that can directly affect patient outcomes. A January 2026 analysis reported that 65% of community oncologists noted patients deteriorate before CAR T administration, with payer approval timelines cited as a rate-limiting factor.[2] A national survey of oncology professionals conducted by the Association of Cancer Care Centers identified travel distance to an authorized treatment center, ability to travel for evaluation, ability to meet caregiver requirements, affordability, and prior authorization delays as the top five obstacles to timely CAR T evaluation, underscoring that the access problem is both clinical and operational. "Our focus is on ensuring every appropriate patient who needs our CAR T-cell therapies can access and benefit from these treatments," said Christophe Griolet, US vice president and general manager at Kite. "Cencora has a proven track record of supporting complex therapies. As we expand our treatment center network, Cencora's specialty distribution infrastructure and expertise will support a seamless experience across new and existing sites, reducing provider barriers and enabling us to meet patients where they are."[1] Why is specialty distribution infrastructure critical to the future of CAR T? The Cencora-Kite announcement comes as the broader CGT distribution landscape is being tested by the prospect of scale. At the 2026 Asembia specialty pharmacy summit, questioned whether existing distribution and payment models - originally designed for low-volume, ultra-rare indications - are ready for the higher volumes anticipated with broader CGT adoption. Cencora, one of the pharmaceutical industry's "Big Three" wholesalers alongside McKesson and Cardinal Health, has been investing in CGT-specific capabilities ahead of this inflection point. The company is executing a, which includes a planned 530,000 square-foot national distribution center in Ohio featuring advanced automation, AI integration, and expanded cold-chain capacity. For manufacturers like Kite, this combination of distribution scale and CGT-specific expertise in order management and site-of-care support represents a key lever to close the gap between therapy availability and patient access. What does this mean for specialty pharma? The Cencora-Kite agreement signals a broader shift in how cell and gene therapies are commercialized - one where specialty distributors play an increasingly central role not just in moving product, but in reducing the institutional friction that stands between a treatment and the patient who needs it. As CAR T-cell therapy expands into more community settings, the ability to absorb administrative complexity at the distributor level will become a competitive differentiator for manufacturers choosing commercial partners. References. * Cencora to support US distribution of Kite's CAR T-cell therapies. Cencora Newsroom. June 2, 2026. Accessed June 2, 2026. * Chandani, K. U., & Khera, N. (2026). Bridging the gap: Identifying and overcoming barriers to CAR-T access through streamlined and standardized pathways. Mayo Clinic Proceedings: Innovations, Quality & Outcomes, 10(1), 100693. * Association of Cancer Care Centers. Policy and systems solutions to expand timely access to CAR T-cell therapy: findings from a national survey of oncology professionals. Blood. Published online December 5, 2025. doi:10.1182/blood-2025-053856. Accessed June 2, 2026.

Gilead completes Arcellx buy, securing myeloma treatment anito-cel. Acquisition gives Gilead's Kite full control of CAR T-cell therapy Gilead said it has completed its $7.8 billion acquisition of Arcellx, a deal the company hopes will allow it to streamline and accelerate the development of experimental myeloma treatment anito-cel (anitocabtagene autoleucel). Arcellx has been collaborating with Gilead subsidiary Kite Pharma to develop the cell therapy. Gilead said the acquisition brings the therapy's developers under a single corporate umbrella, eliminating the need to coordinate between companies. "With the Arcellx acquisition, our focus turns to executing with speed and discipline as we prepare to bring anito-cel to patients," Cindy Perettie, executive vice president and global head of Kite, said in a press release from Gilead. Myeloma is a type of blood cancer marked by the uncontrolled growth of plasma cells, a type of immune cell. Anito-cel is a CAR T-cell therapy, a type of anticancer treatment that works by harnessing the deadly capabilities of cancer-killing immune cells called T-cells. With anito-cel, a patient's T-cells are collected and taken to a lab to equip them with a chimeric antigen receptor (CAR), a human-made protein that directs the cells to attack a particular molecular target. Anito-cel uses a CAR that targets the BCMA protein, which is expressed by myeloma cells. Following a short round of chemotherapy to wipe out existing immune cells, the engineered cells are infused into the patient's body to go after the cancer. Recommended Reading Phase 3 study recruiting. The CAR used in anito-cel features a molecular motif called the D-domain. Data have shown this structural change may help limit side effects associated with CAR therapies. A Phase 2 study called iMMagine-1 (NCT05396885) tested anito-cel in more than 100 people with hard-to-treat myeloma. Results showed that most patients were alive and free of disease progression two years after a single treatment with the cell therapy. Kite is sponsoring a Phase 3 study called iMMagine-3 (NCT06413498), which aims to test anito-cel against standard therapies in people with myeloma who have failed to respond or have relapsed after one to three previous lines of therapy. The study is recruiting participants at sites in the U.S., Europe, Canada, Japan, and Australia. "With this acquisition, anito-cel and the differentiated D-Domain BCMA binder will advance within Kite, combining this science with our global manufacturing, regulatory and commercial capabilities to unlock the full value of this potentially transformative therapy for people living with multiple myeloma," Perettie said.

Kite's next-generation bicistronic CAR T-Cell therapies Show encouraging Phase 1 results in relapsed/refractory b-cell lymphoma in new data at ASH 2025. December 6th, 2025 | Business Wire - Initial Results from Kite-753, Optimized with Novel Manufacturing Process That Preserves T-Cell Fitness, Show High Complete Response Rate and Favorable Safety Trend - - Novel Construct for Two Investigational Therapies Could Enable Safer, More Effective and Accessible CAR Ts - SANTA MONICA, Calif. - (BUSINESS WIRE) - Kite, a Gilead Company (Nasdaq: GILD), presented Phase 1 data today with encouraging efficacy and safety results for its two investigational bicistronic CAR T-cell therapies, KITE-753 and KITE-363, respectively, in patients with relapsed/refractory large B-cell lymphoma (R/R LBCL). The results of the analysis were shared in an oral presentation (Abstract #265) at the 67th American Society of Hematology (ASH) Annual Meeting and Exposition. Both KITE-753 and KITE-363 are bicistronic autologous CAR T-cell therapies. They are designed to target two antigens (CD19 and CD20) found on cancer cells and use two co-stimulatory domains (CD28 and 4-1BB) to help the immune system fight cancer more effectively. The KITE DuoCore(TM) construct - with two independent CARs working synergistically - may prevent relapse by reducing cancer cells escaping treatment and may help improve safety, making it possible to treat more patients outside of a hospital setting. Additionally, KITE-753 leverages a novel manufacturing process that preserves T-cell fitness. Combined, these attributes may contribute to better efficacy, lower toxicity, durable function, and faster delivery to patients. "While CAR T-cell therapy has revolutionized treatment for many people with blood cancers, we urgently need options that not only improve upon the curative potential of existing cell therapies for evasive cancers but are also safer and available to a broader patient population," said Dr. Saurabh Dahiya, MD, FACP, the Stanford School of Medicine. "The encouraging response rates, durability and safety profile of KITE-753 and KITE-363 offer strong clinical evidence to support further development." The open-label, multicenter, umbrella Phase 1 study enrolled 67 patients with R/R BCL. Thirty patients received KITE-753 and 37 received KITE-363. Results for KITE-753 showed that at a median follow-up of 4.0 months overall and 2.9 months at dose level three (DL3; 0.2x10[6] CAR T cells/kg), 11 of 14 CAR-naïve patients (79%) receiving DL3 had a complete response, where the cancer completely disappeared. Bridging options in this Phase 1 study were limited to corticosteroid +/- radiation therapy, and all patients had measurable, active disease at the time of their infusion with KITE-753. No patients responded to these bridging therapy measures at DL3. Notably, KITE-753 demonstrated robust expansion despite a tenfold lower dose than DL3 of KITE-363 (2x10[6] CAR T cells/kg), which highlights the proliferative capacity of KITE-753. Across all dose levels, 14 of 20 CAR-naïve patients achieved a complete response. Overall, KITE-753 showed an encouraging safety profile with no dose-limiting toxicities. At DL3, no Grade >=3 cytokine release syndrome (CRS) or immune effector cell-associated neurotoxicity syndrome (ICANS) were observed; Grade >=3 adverse events occurred in 95% of patients (primarily cytopenias), and serious Grade >=3 adverse events occurred in 26% of patients. Across all dose levels, one Grade 3 CRS event (none Grade >=4) and no Grade >=3 ICANS events occurred. "Kite is dedicated to pushing the boundaries of CAR T-cell therapy to deliver even greater impact and curative potential," said Dr. Gallia Levy, Senior Vice President, Global Head of Development at Kite. "By combining CD19/CD20 targeting with dual co-stimulation, along with a manufacturing process resulting in a fit product, we aim to improve outcomes. Our goal is to bring CAR T to more patients, such as those with advanced disease who have exhausted other options, and to those who prefer to be treated in outpatient and in community oncology practice settings." Meanwhile, results for KITE-363 revealed that at a median follow-up of 17.5 months, there was a durable benefit at the highest dose level (2x10[6] CAR T cells/kg) among CAR-naïve patients, with more than 70% of complete responders evaluable at 12 months remaining in remission. KITE-363 was generally well tolerated with no dose-limiting toxicities or severe side effects that required stopping the study. Grade >=3 CRS occurred in one patient; Grade 3 ICANS occurred in two patients; no Grade >=4 CRS/ICANS occurred. Globally, large B-cell lymphoma (LBCL) is the most common type of non-Hodgkin lymphoma. In the United States, more than 18,000 people are diagnosed with LBCL each year. About 30 - 40% of patients with LBCL will need second-line treatment, as their cancer will either relapse (return) or become refractory (not respond) to initial treatment. Thirty patients received KITE-753 and 37 received KITE-363. The open-label, multicenter umbrella Phase 1 study enrolled eligible adults with R/R LBCL after >=2 lines of therapy (patients with LBCL could have second-line primary refractory disease) in dose escalation (1A) and expansion (1B; LBCL only) cohorts. Following leukapheresis and lymphodepletion, patients received dose level (DL) 1, 2, or 3 of KITE-753 (3.0x10[4], 1.0x10[5], or 2.0x10[5] CAR T cells/kg, respectively) or KITE-363 (0.5x10[6], 1x10[6], or 2x10[6] CAR T cells/kg, respectively). Primary endpoints were incidence of dose-limiting toxicities (DLTs; Phase 1A) and investigator-assessed objective response rate (ORR; per Lugano; Phase 1B). KITE-753 and KITE-363 are investigational, bicistronic autologous CAR T-cell therapies engineered to overcome tumor antigen heterogeneity and prevent relapse. The KITE DuoCore(TM) construct uniquely combines anti-CD19 and anti-CD20 targeting with dual co-stimulation (CD28 and 4-1BB). KITE-753 is an enhanced KITE DuoCore(TM) CAR T utilizing a novel manufacturing process, aiming to preserve T-cell fitness. Additionally, KITE-363 is being investigated for refractory autoimmune conditions. This press release includes forward-looking statements, within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 that are subject to risks, uncertainties and other factors, including the ability of Gilead and Kite to initiate, progress or complete clinical trials within currently anticipated timelines or at all, and the possibility of unfavorable results from ongoing or additional clinical studies, including those involving KITE-753 and KITE-363; uncertainties relating to regulatory applications and related filing and approval timelines, including pending or potential applications for indications currently under evaluation; the possibility that Gilead and Kite may make a strategic decision to discontinue development of these programs and, as a result, these programs may never be successfully commercialized for the indications currently under evaluation; and any assumptions underlying any of the foregoing. These and other risks are described in detail in Gilead's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended September 30, 2025, as filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. These risks, uncertainties and other factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those referred to in the forward-looking statements. All statements other than statements of historical fact are statements that could be deemed forward-looking statements. The reader is cautioned that any such forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve risks and uncertainties and is cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. All forward-looking statements are based on information currently available to Gilead and Kite, and Gilead and Kite assume no obligation and disclaim any intent to update any such forward-looking statements. Gilead, the Gilead logo, Kite, and the Kite logo are trademarks of Gilead Sciences, Inc., or its related companies. For more information on Kite, please visit the company's website at www.kitepharma.com. Follow Kite on social media on X (@KitePharma) and LinkedIn.