The expansion will include emerging areas of research in the immune response to tumor neo-antigens, truly tumor-specific antigens generated as tumors accumulate genetic mutations.
Additionally, new T cell receptor (TCR) and new chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) product candidates targeting solid tumors have been added to the collaboration.
The expansion strengthens the company’s ongoing research collaboration with the Surgery Branch at the NCI, led by Steven Rosenberg as well as provides additional product candidates for its growing pipeline.
Kite Pharma president and chief executive officer Arie Belldegrun said: "Neo-antigen immunotherapy will allow us to design a cancer treatment that can modify a patient’s T cells to recognize the unique genetic profile of the patient’s own tumor.
"This offers a new paradigm in cancer care and extends the significant progress we have achieved in collaboration with Dr. Steven Rosenberg, Chief of Surgery, and his clinical research teams at the NCI."
Under the amended agreement with, the additional programs will include methods of rapidly identifying and developing TCR product candidates targeted against neo-antigens; optimizing new methods to produce new class of individualized therapies; as well as developing additional TCR product candidates retrovirally engineered to target tumor antigens.
Kite Pharma executive vice president Research and Development and chief medical officer David Chang said: "This year, we have substantially broadened our plan and vision for clinical development, engaging in a strategic R&D collaboration with Amgen, combining their cancer targets with our T cell platform technology, as well as expanding our agreement with Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center to develop novel approaches to CAR T cell therapy.
"The new research under our CRADA with the NCI further extends our clinical programs, particularly in regard to new TCR approaches."