LOS ANGELES, Aug. 8, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Kite Pharma Inc. (Kite), a clinical stage biotechnology company focused on developing engineered autologous T cell therapy (eACT) products for cancer, today announced the appointment of three leading experts in the areas of immunotherapy, chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) technology, and gene therapy to its Scientific Advisory Board (SAB).

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"Kite is fortunate to attract these world-leading immunotherapy and cancer researchers to our advisory board," said Aya Jakobovits, Ph.D., President and Chief Executive Officer of Kite. "Their experience and insight will be invaluable for the development and progression of our eACT product pipeline."

The new SAB members are:

"These three superb scientists are recognized for their major discoveries in the fields of immunotherapy and cancer," Owen Witte M.D., Kite's SAB Chairman, Professor of Microbiology, Immunology and Molecular Genetics and Director of the Broad Stem Cell Research Center at the University of California, Los Angeles."Their extensive experience in this field will be invaluable to Kite as the company advances its immunotherapy products to the marketplace."

About the eACT PlatformClinical evidence has demonstrated that a patients' peripheral blood T cells, which have been engineered with T cell receptor (TCRs) and Chimeric Antigen Receptors (CARs) that recognize tumor specific molecules, can traffic directly to the tumor, become activated upon engagement with the tumor antigen, and selectively eradicate tumors. Clinical studies performed at the National Cancer Institute (NCI) using these types of engineered peripheral blood T cells have been associated with significant and durable objective clinical responses in cancer patients with advanced metastatic disease, including those with refractory melanoma, sarcoma, lymphoma and leukemia. These encouraging results highlight eACT as an emerging therapeutic modality that could provide new personalized targeted therapy options for cancer patients spanning the spectrum of disease from its early stages to the salvage setting.

About Kite PharmaKite Pharma, Inc. is a privately held development stage biotechnology company engaged in the development of novel cancer immunotherapeutic products with a focus on engineered autologous T cell therapeutics targeted to different tumor types. Kite is engaged in the development of these novel cancer therapies in partnership with the National Cancer Institute (NCI) under a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA). In addition, the company is advancing a novel therapeutic cancer vaccine aimed at triggering potent and specific immunity against multiple epithelial cancers, which has the potential to complement its eACT programs.

Kite is based in Santa Monica, CA. For more information, visit the company's website at http://www.kitepharma.com.

Contact: Aya Jakobovits, Ph.D. President and Chief Executive Officer Kite Pharma, Inc. (310) 824-9999 x 1001 ajakobovits@kitepharma.com

For MediaJoan Kureczka Kureczka/Martin Associates (415) 821 2413 Joan@kureczka-martin.com

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Kite Pharma Appoints Leading Cancer Immunotherapy Experts to its Scientific Advisory Board

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