Kite

What Kite does

Kite Pharma, Inc. is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Gilead Sciences that develops and commercializes autologous CAR T-cell therapies for hematologic malignancies. Founded in 2013 as a standalone cancer immunotherapy company and acquired by Gilead Sciences in 2017 for approximately $11.9 billion, Kite's lead commercial asset is Yescarta (axicabtagene ciloleucel), an autologous CAR T-cell therapy that engineers each patient's own T cells to target CD19-expressing tumors in relapsed or refractory large B-cell lymphoma. In February 2026 the FDA removed prior use restrictions for Yescarta in primary central nervous system lymphoma (PCNSL), leaving it as the only CAR T-cell therapy approved for large B-cell lymphoma without such restrictions and opening a previously restricted patient population with a roughly 30% five-year survival rate.

Kite's portfolio also includes the antibody-drug conjugate Trodelvy (sacituzumab govitecan) for breast cancer, and through Gilead's announced $7.8 billion acquisition of Arcellx (announced February 2026, expected close Q2 2026 with a December 23, 2026 FDA target action date), the in-licensed CAR T-cell therapy anito-cel for multiple myeloma. The business model is pharmaceutical product sales of specialty oncology biologics: complex, patient-specific therapies administered exclusively at certified oncology treatment centers that handle apheresis, manufacturing logistics, and infusion under a one-time-license revenue model. Go-to-market relies on clinical evidence generation presented at major oncology conferences such as ASCO and EHA to drive physician adoption, supplemented by Gilead's regulatory and commercial scale.

Data note: the firmographic block in the input also references a separate, unrelated "Kite" identity associated with the domain kiteedu.com — an app for student progress tracking — but kiteedu.com is currently listed for sale on Spaceship.com for $1,980, indicating that identity is defunct and not the subject of this analysis.

Name

Kite

Legal name

Kite Pharma, Inc.

Website

https://kiteedu.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2013

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Kite Pharma, a wholly-owned Gilead Sciences subsidiary, develops and commercializes autologous CAR T-cell therapies for hematologic malignancies, led by Yescarta for relapsed or refractory large B-cell lymphoma including PCNSL.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Cell Therapy and Oncology Biopharmaceuticals

NAICS

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

SIC

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

akta.pro primary industry

Specialty Care Pharmaceuticals (HLAIAAAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Specialty Injectable & Infusion Therapies (Cross-therapeutic) (HLAIACAO), Immunology & Inflammation Pharmaceuticals (HLAIAAAD)

Keywords

• CAR T-cell therapy
• Cell therapy oncology
• Autologous immunotherapy
• Antibody-drug conjugates
• Hematologic cancer treatment

Headquarters

HQ city

Pasadena

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Pharmaceutical product sales: Kite generates revenue through commercial sales of approved CAR T-cell therapies, primarily Yescarta, which is administered to patients at certified treatment centers. The therapies are priced as specialty oncology treatments with complex manufacturing and delivery requirements.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels1 record

Core offering

Kite Pharma, Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Gilead Sciences, is a biopharmaceutical company that develops, manufactures, and commercializes autologous CAR T-cell therapies and antibody-drug conjugates for the treatment of hematologic malignancies and solid tumors. Its commercial products include Yescarta for relapsed or refractory large B-cell lymphoma (including primary central nervous system lymphoma), Trodelvy for breast cancer, and anito-cel for multiple myeloma (pending FDA approval).

Product overview

Kite, a Gilead company, is a biopharmaceutical company focused on cell therapy and antibody-drug conjugates for oncology. The company's core products include Yescarta, a CAR T-cell therapy for large B-cell lymphoma including PCNSL; Trodelvy, an antibody-drug conjugate for breast cancer; and anito-cel, a CAR T-cell therapy for multiple myeloma (pending FDA approval). These therapies represent a unified portfolio of targeted cancer treatments using innovative cell and conjugate technologies.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Yescarta (axicabtagene ciloleucel)
• Trodelvy (sacituzumab govitecan)
• anito-cel

Quantifiable outcome

• Neurologic toxicities occurred in 85% of patients, with 31% experiencing Grade 3 events in Phase 1 PCNSL study

Named customers1 record

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• ArcellxcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 23 February 2026Gilead Sciences announced a definitive agreement to acquire Arcellx for $7.8 billion in cash, paying $115 per share plus a $5 contingent value right tied to sales milestones for anito-cel, a CAR T-cell therapy for multiple myeloma. The all-cash offer represents a 68-79% premium to Arcellx's stock price and is expected to close in Q2 2026 pending regulatory approvals. Upon FDA approval of anito-cel, the transaction is expected to be accretive to Gilead's EPS starting in 2028.
• Dana-Farber Cancer InstituteminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 February 2026Phase 1 investigator-sponsored study by Dana-Farber Cancer Institute provided the clinical data supporting FDA removal of Yescarta's prior use restrictions for relapsed or refractory primary central nervous system lymphoma.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves3 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Novartis: Novartis commercializes Kymriah (tisagenlecleucel), the first FDA-approved CAR T-cell therapy, for pediatric ALL and adult DLBCL. As a global oncology incumbent with overlapping autologous cell therapy capabilities, Novartis competes head-to-head with Kite in CD19-directed CAR T.
• Bristol Myers Squibb: BMS markets Breyanzi (lisocabtagene maraleucel), a competing CD19-directed CAR T-cell therapy for relapsed/refractory large B-cell lymphoma that directly overlaps with Yescarta's core indication. It also commercializes Abecma in multiple myeloma, making BMS the most direct large-pharma competitor to Kite across the same CAR T indications.
• Johnson & Johnson (Janssen): J&J's Janssen unit co-develops and commercializes Carvykti (ciltacabtagene autoleucel), a BCMA-directed CAR T therapy for multiple myeloma, positioning it as the principal CAR T competitor in the same myeloma indication that Kite is entering via anito-cel.

Emerging players

• CRISPR Therapeutics: CRISPR Therapeutics developed Casgevy, the first FDA-approved CRISPR/Cas9 gene-edited cell therapy (with Vertex), and is advancing next-generation CAR T candidates. It shares Kite's focus on engineered cell therapies for hematologic indications but leverages gene editing rather than viral vector CAR constructs.
• Caribou Biosciences: Caribou is a clinical-stage cell therapy company developing allogeneic CAR T-cell therapies using its Cas12a-based CRISPR genome editing platform. It is advancing candidates in B-cell malignancies that overlap with Kite's CD19-directed lymphoma franchise.
• Allogene Therapeutics: Allogene is developing allogeneic (off-the-shelf) CAR T-cell therapies across hematologic and solid tumor indications. While Kite focuses on autologous products, Allogene's platform represents a potential next-generation threat that could shift cell therapy economics away from patient-by-patient manufacturing.
• Cellectis: Cellectis is a clinical-stage gene-editing company developing allogeneic CAR T-cell therapies (UCART products) using TALEN-based editing. It operates upstream of Kite's autologous franchise as both a potential competitor and a platform enabling partner in next-generation cell therapy.
• Precision BioSciences: Precision BioSciences is developing in vivo and ex vivo allogeneic CAR T therapies using its proprietary ARCUS genome editing platform. Its hematology candidates compete in similar B-cell lymphoma indications to Kite's Yescarta.

Direct peers

• Arcellx: Arcellx is the clinical-stage biotech developing anito-cel (CAR T for multiple myeloma) and is being acquired by Gilead for $7.8B to integrate into Kite. Its ddCAR platform and ddBCMA construct represent the technology foundation for Kite's myeloma expansion.
• 2seventy bio: 2seventy bio is a cell therapy company that co-developed Abecma (idecabtagene vicleucel), the first FDA-approved BCMA-directed CAR T therapy for multiple myeloma, with BMS. It directly competes with anito-cel in the BCMA CAR T myeloma market and shares Kite's autologous cell therapy operating model.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/followkite

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

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

M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about Kite