— If Approved, Yescarta would be the First CAR T Therapy for Patients with Relapsed or Refractory Follicular Lymphoma and Marginal Zone Lymphoma —

SANTA MONICA, CA, USA I September 4, 2020 I Kite, a Gilead Company (Nasdaq: GILD), today announced that it has submitted a supplemental Biologics License Application (sBLA) to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for Yescarta® (axicabtagene ciloleucel) for the treatment of relapsed or refractory follicular lymphoma and marginal zone lymphoma after two or more prior lines of systemic therapy. Yescarta was previously granted Breakthrough Therapy Designation (BTD) by the FDA for these indications. If approved, Yescarta would become the first chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cell therapy approved for the treatment of relapsed or refractory indolent non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL).

The sBLA submission is supported by data from the primary analysis of the Phase 2 ZUMA-5 trial, which is being submitted for presentation at an upcoming scientific congress. Findings from an interim analysis of ZUMA-5 were recently presented during an oral session at the 2020 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting.

“People living with indolent NHL often experience a disease that starts out slowly but becomes more aggressive over time with each subsequent relapse,” said Ken Takeshita, MD, Kite’s Global Head of Clinical Development. “The efficacy observed in ZUMA-5 may provide a potentially transformative treatment option for higher-risk patients with certain types of indolent NHL. We look forward to working closely with the FDA to progress this application with the goal of bringing Yescarta to patients with indolent NHL as soon as possible.”

Yescarta was the first CAR T cell therapy to be approved by the FDA for the treatment of adult patients with relapsed or refractory large B-cell lymphoma after two or more lines of systemic therapy, including diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) not otherwise specified, primary mediastinal large B-cell lymphoma, and high grade B-cell lymphoma and DLBCL arising from FL. Yescarta is not indicated for the treatment of patients with primary central nervous system lymphoma. The Yescarta U.S. Prescribing Information has a BOXED WARNING for the risks of cytokine release syndrome (CRS) and neurologic toxicities, and Yescarta is approved with a risk evaluation and mitigation strategy (REMS) due to these risks; see below for Important Safety Information.

Yescarta has not been approved by any regulatory agency for the treatment of indolent non-Hodgkin lymphoma, including follicular lymphoma or marginal zone lymphoma. Its safety and efficacy have not been established in these lymphomas.

About Indolent Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma

Follicular lymphoma and marginal zone lymphoma are both forms of indolent non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) in which malignant tumors slowly grow but can become more aggressive over time.

Follicular lymphoma is the most common form of indolent lymphoma and the second most common type of lymphoma globally. It accounts for approximately 22 percent of all lymphomas diagnosed worldwide. Marginal zone lymphoma is the third most common lymphoma, accounting for 8 to 12 percent of all B-cell NHLs.

Despite advances in management and substantial improvements in long-term survival, patients living with follicular lymphoma have varied outcomes. Currently, there are no standard of care treatments for relapsed and refractory follicular lymphoma after two or more lines of therapy, and there are limited options for the treatment of relapsed or refractory marginal zone lymphoma.

About ZUMA-5

ZUMA-5 is a single-arm, multicenter, open-label Phase 2 study that aims to enroll up to 160 adult patients (≥18 years old) with relapsed or refractory indolent NHL of either follicular lymphoma or marginal zone lymphoma subtypes, who received at least two prior lines of systemic therapy, including an anti-CD20 monoclonal antibody combined with an alkylating agent. The objectives of the study are to evaluate the efficacy and safety of a single infusion of Yescarta in this patient population. The primary endpoint of the trial is objective response rate (ORR) as assessed by an independent review committee. Secondary endpoints include complete response rate, duration of response, progression-free survival, overall survival, safety and CAR T cell and cytokines levels. The study is ongoing.

About Yescarta

Yescarta is a CD19-directed genetically modified autologous T cell immunotherapy indicated for the treatment of adult patients with relapsed or refractory large B-cell lymphoma after two or more lines of systemic therapy, including DLBCL not otherwise specified, primary mediastinal large B-cell lymphoma, high grade B-cell lymphoma, and DLBCL arising from follicular lymphoma.

Limitation of Use: Yescarta is not indicated for the treatment of patients with primary central nervous system lymphoma.

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.

SOURCE: Kite Pharma