Kite Pharma

What Kite Pharma does

Kite Pharma, Inc. is a clinical-stage and commercial-stage biotechnology company focused exclusively on autologous CAR T-cell therapies for the treatment of relapsed or refractory blood cancers. The company engineers a patient's own T cells ex vivo to express chimeric antigen receptors targeting tumor-associated antigens including CD19, CD20, BCMA, and CLL-1, and operates as a wholly-owned subsidiary of Gilead Sciences following its 2017 acquisition for approximately $11.9 billion. Its core technology is autologous CAR T-cell therapy, with each dose custom-manufactured per patient through a five-step process of collection, isolation, engineering with a CAR gene, expansion, and reinfusion.

Kite's commercial portfolio is anchored by Yescarta (axicabtagene ciloleucel), a CD19-directed CAR T-cell therapy approved for large B-cell lymphoma, follicular lymphoma, and (as of February 2026) primary central nervous system lymphoma, which generated approximately $1.6 billion in 2024 revenue. Tecartus (brexucabtagene autoleucel) is a second approved product for relapsed/refractory mantle cell lymphoma and B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia. The clinical pipeline comprises anito-cel (BCMA-directed CAR-T for multiple myeloma, co-developed with Arcellx and now fully owned by Gilead following its $7.8 billion acquisition completed April 2026, with a December 23, 2026 PDUFA date), KITE-363 (dual CD19/CD20 CAR-T for LBCL), KITE-222 (CLL-1 CAR-T for AML, FDA Orphan Drug Designation), and KITE-753 (next-generation bicistronic CAR-T). The company has additionally moved into in vivo CAR-T through the $350 million Interius BioTherapeutics acquisition (announced August 2025) and the $1.64 billion Pregene Biopharma licensing deal (October 2025).

The business model is the sale of one-time, high-cost individualized treatments (U.S. market pricing in the $373,000-$475,000 range) reimbursed through a mix of private insurance, Medicare, and national health systems. Distribution runs through a network of 300+ qualified treatment centers across the U.S., Canada, Australia, Europe, Brazil, Singapore, Saudi Arabia, a joint venture in China, and a licensing partner in Japan. Kite operates what it describes as the world's largest dedicated in-house cell therapy manufacturing network, with facilities in Santa Monica (headquarters), Frederick, Maryland (manufacturing, 500+ jobs by end of 2026), and Hoofddorp, Netherlands (a EUR 185 million facility producing over 4,000 cell therapies annually). Gilead/Kite led global cell and gene therapy sales with 15% market share in 2024, and together with Bristol Myers Squibb accounts for over 70% of the CAR-T market.

Name

Kite Pharma

Legal name

Kite Pharma, Inc.

Website

https://kitepharma.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2017

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

Kite Pharma is a Gilead Sciences subsidiary that develops and commercializes autologous CAR T-cell therapies for relapsed or refractory blood cancers, distributing Yescarta and Tecartus through 300+ qualified treatment centers worldwide while advancing a pipeline of next-generation and in vivo cell therapies.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Cell Therapy / CAR T-cell Biologics

NAICS

Biological Product (except Diagnostic) Manufacturing (325414), Pharmaceutical Preparation Manufacturing (325412), Pharmaceutical and Medicine Manufacturing (32541)

SIC

Biological Products, (No Disgnostic Substances) (2836), Pharmaceutical Preparations (2834)

akta.pro primary industry

Cell Therapy Developers (Autologous) (HLAAABAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

CAR-T & TCR-T Therapies (HLAAABAC), Rare Oncology & Hematologic Malignancy Therapies (HLAIAIAC), Oncology & Hematology Pharmaceuticals (HLAIAAAC)

Keywords

• CAR T-cell therapy
• Cell therapy products
• Autologous immunotherapy
• Cancer cell therapy
• Oncology biologics manufacturing

Headquarters

HQ city

Los Angeles

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Technology or R&D, Operations, Personnel, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Commercial CAR T-cell therapies: Revenue from sale of approved CAR T-cell therapy products including Yescarta and Tecartus. Yescarta generated approximately $1.6 billion in 2024. Therapies are one-time treatments customized for each patient.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Kite Pharma designs, develops, and manufactures autologous CAR T-cell therapies that harness a patient's own immune system to treat relapsed or refractory blood cancers. Its commercial products include Yescarta for large B-cell lymphoma, follicular lymphoma, and primary central nervous system lymphoma, and Tecartus for mantle cell lymphoma and B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Each dose is individually manufactured per patient through a five-step cell engineering process and delivered through qualified oncology treatment centers worldwide.

Product overview

Kite Pharma is a biopharmaceutical company focused exclusively on cell therapy to treat and potentially cure cancer. The company's core offerings include Yescarta (axicabtagene ciloleucel), a CD19-directed CAR T-cell therapy for large B-cell lymphoma and follicular lymphoma, and its pipeline includes investigational therapies such as anito-cel (BCMA-directed CAR T for multiple myeloma), KITE-363 (dual-targeting CD19/CD20 CAR T), KITE-222 (CLL-1 targeted for AML), and KITE-753 (bicistronic CAR T). Kite operates the world's largest dedicated in-house cell therapy manufacturing network with facilities in the U.S. (California, Maryland), Netherlands, and distribution in Japan, serving over 300 treatment centers globally.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Yescarta (axicabtagene ciloleucel) CD19-directed genetically modified autologous T cell immunotherapy (CAR T-cell therapy) indicated for adult patients with relapsed/refractory large B-cell lymphoma and follicular lymphoma, manufactured individually for each patient using their own T cells.
• Tecartus (brexucabtagene autoleucel) Autologous CAR T-cell therapy directed at CD19 for adult patients with relapsed/refractory mantle cell lymphoma and B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia, manufactured individually for each patient.
• Anito-cel (anitocabtagene autoleucel) Investigational BCMA-directed CAR T-cell therapy using proprietary D-Domain binder technology for adult patients with relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma, co-developed with Arcellx, with planned U.S. launch in 2026.

Quantifiable outcome

• 74% overall response rate in ZUMA-1 trial for aggressive non-Hodgkin lymphoma
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Pregene BiopharmacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 17 October 2025Global licensing agreement with Chinese biotech Pregene involving $120 million upfront payment and potential milestones up to $1.52 billion ($1.64 billion total deal value) to accelerate development of in vivo CAR-T therapies for oncology and autoimmune diseases.
• Interius BioTherapeuticscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 21 August 2025Kite Pharma agreed to acquire Interius BioTherapeutics for $350 million in cash. Interius develops in vivo CAR-T cell therapies that could make cancer treatments more accessible by programming T cells directly inside the patient's body.
• University of PennsylvaniacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 22 February 2023Strategic research and licensing agreement with University of Pennsylvania as part of Kite's acquisition of Tmunity Therapeutics, enhancing cell therapy research and pipeline assets. Involves further funding and potential future financial benefits for Penn researchers.
• ArcellxcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-development and co-commercialization partnership for anito-cel, a BCMA-directed CAR T-cell therapy for relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma. Gilead Sciences acquired Arcellx for $7.8 billion in 2026, gaining full control of the therapy. PDUFA date December 23, 2026.
• King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre (KFSHRC)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership agreement signed at Global Health Exhibition 2025 to improve local access to advanced treatments, develop innovative therapies, and build local healthcare talent in Saudi Arabia.
• Dana-Farber Cancer InstituteminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInvestigator-sponsored study conducted by Dana-Farber supporting FDA label update for Yescarta in relapsed/refractory primary central nervous system lymphoma, demonstrating manageable safety profile with no new safety signals.
• Accipiter BiosciencesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrategic collaboration with Seattle biotech Accipiter Biosciences for development of de novo protein therapeutics. Kite Pharma collaboration alongside Pfizer as part of company's $12.7 million seed funding round.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights7 records

Direct peers

• Novartis: Novartis commercializes Kymriah, the first FDA-approved CAR-T therapy, targeting pediatric ALL and diffuse large B-cell lymphoma. It is a foundational direct peer with overlapping indications and similar autologous manufacturing model.
• Bristol Myers Squibb: BMS commercializes Brexu-cel (mantle cell lymphoma) and Abecma (BCMA CAR-T for multiple myeloma), making it the closest direct CAR-T competitor to Kite's Tecartus and anito-cel. Together Kite and BMS control 70%+ of the CAR-T market across overlapping indications.
• Legend Biotech: Legend Biotech (partnered with Johnson & Johnson) commercializes Carvykti, a BCMA-directed CAR-T therapy for multiple myeloma. It directly competes with Kite's anito-cel in the same relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma indication.

Emerging players

• Sana Biotechnology: Sana Biotechnology is developing in vivo cell engineering platforms (including in vivo CAR-T) that could potentially disrupt Kite's autologous manufacturing model. It is an early-stage peer with thematic overlap on Kite's newly acquired Interius/Pregene in vivo CAR-T programs.
• Caribou Biosciences: Caribou is developing allogeneic CAR-T cell therapies using CRISPR gene editing for hematologic cancers. It is an emerging peer with partial overlap on CAR-T modality and indication space, targeting similar patient populations as Kite.
• Allogene Therapeutics: Allogene is a leading allogeneic (off-the-shelf) CAR-T developer targeting the same hematologic malignancies as Kite. Its platform aims to disrupt Kite's autologous manufacturing model with ready-to-use cell therapies.
• Adaptimmune Therapeutics: Adaptimmune commercializes Tecelra, a TCR-T cell therapy for synovial sarcoma, and is developing next-generation cell therapies for solid tumors. It is an adjacent cell therapy peer in the engineered T-cell category that overlaps with Kite's CAR-T pipeline.
• CRISPR Therapeutics: CRISPR Therapeutics (partnered with Vertex) developed Casgevy, the first CRISPR-based cell therapy, for sickle cell disease and beta thalassemia. It is an adjacent cell therapy player leveraging gene editing in the same autologous cell engineering paradigm as Kite.
• Autolus Therapeutics: Autolus commercializes Aucatzyl, a CD19 CAR-T therapy for adult ALL, directly competing with Kite's Tecartus in the B-ALL indication. It is a focused CAR-T peer with overlapping hematologic malignancy targets.

Others

• Iovance Biotherapeutics: Iovance commercializes Amtagvi, the first FDA-approved tumor-infiltrating lymphocyte (TIL) therapy for melanoma, representing an adjacent cell therapy modality. It expands the engineered cell therapy category that Kite operates in, though TIL and CAR-T are distinct platforms.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/kitepharma
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/kite-pharma-inc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds5 records

Investors4 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A2 records

Investments16 records

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Kite Pharma