Kite and HiFiBiO Therapeutics Partner to Discover Novel Targets and Antibodies Against Acute Myeloid Leukemia

-- Research Collaboration will Leverage HiFiBiO’s Proprietary Single-Cell Platform to Identify Novel Targets to Support Kite’s Development of Cell Therapies in AML --

SANTA MONICA, Calif. & CAMBRIDGE, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Kite, a Gilead Company (Nasdaq: GILD), and HiFiBiO Therapeutics announced the companies have entered into a two-year research collaboration and license agreement in acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Through this collaboration, HiFiBiO will use its proprietary technology platforms to identify novel AML targets and anti-AML specific antibodies for Kite’s use in cell therapies.

“Kite is committed to pursuing novel cell therapies for people living with AML,” said Peter Emtage, PhD, Senior Vice President of Research at Kite. “To date, most efforts to identify AML-specific targets have focused on mining proteomic datasets, as opposed to individual AML patient samples. We are excited to partner with HiFiBiO, whose innovative technology platform allows for screening of novel targets in AML patient samples, as well as the potential identification of anti-AML antibodies to be harnessed for use in cell therapies for patients.”

“We look forward to working with Kite to identify disease-relevant targets directly from AML patient samples,” said Liang Schweizer, PhD, President and CEO of HiFiBiO Therapeutics. “This is another novel target discovery application that complements our current antibody and biomarker capabilities and showcases the versatility of our platform.”

Under the terms of the agreement, HiFiBiO will receive an upfront payment and will be eligible for additional payments based on the achievement of certain research milestones. Kite will have an exclusive option to opt in on any targets discovered through the collaboration, for which HiFiBiO will receive an additional payment and will be eligible for additional development, regulatory and commercial milestone payments, as well as royalty payments.

About HiFiBiO Therapeutics
HiFiBiO Therapeutics is transforming the field of immunotherapy by combining proprietary single-cell profiling technologies with advanced data intelligence and deep knowledge of immune system biology. This approach enables the development of novel antibody therapies that are paired with biomarkers to predict patient response. HiFiBiO Therapeutics is working actively to address unmet medical needs around the world through its own innovative pipeline programs and open-innovation partnerships with world-renowned industry and academic researchers. The company’s strong global footprint features cutting-edge laboratories on three continents, in Cambridge, Mass., Paris, Shanghai and Hong Kong. To learn more, please visit www.hifibio.com.

About Kite
Kite, a Gilead Company, is a biopharmaceutical company based in Santa Monica, California. Kite is engaged in the development of innovative cancer immunotherapies. The company is focused on chimeric antigen receptor and T cell receptor engineered cell therapies. For more information on Kite, please visit www.kitepharma.com.

About Gilead Sciences
Gilead Sciences, Inc. is a research-based biopharmaceutical company that discovers, develops and commercializes innovative medicines in areas of unmet medical need. The company strives to transform and simplify care for people with life-threatening illnesses around the world. Gilead has operations in more than 35 countries worldwide, with headquarters in Foster City, California. For more information on Gilead Sciences, please visit the company’s website at www.gilead.com.

Gilead and Kite Forward-Looking Statements
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 risk that Gilead and Kite may not realize the potential benefits of this research collaboration with HiFiBiO or other investments in cell therapy. All statements other than statements of historical fact are statements that could be deemed forward-looking statements. These risks, uncertainties and other factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those referred to in the forward-looking statements. The reader is cautioned not to rely on these forward-looking statements. These and other risks are described in detail in Gilead’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2020, as filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. All forward-looking statements are based on information currently available to Gilead and Kite, and Gilead and Kite assume no obligation to update any such forward-looking statements.