SANTA MONICA, Calif., Jan. 8, 2015 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Kite Pharma, Inc., (Nasdaq:KITE), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on developing engineered autologous T cell therapy (eACT™) products for the treatment of cancer, today announced the appointment of Scott N. Bernstein as Vice President, Intellectual Property Law. Mr. Bernstein brings substantial background and expertise in biotechnology and pharmaceutical patent law to Kite. He will be responsible for further developing and leveraging Kite's intellectual property in cancer immunotherapy. He will report to David Chang, M.D., Ph.D., Executive Vice President, R&D, and Chief Medical Officer.
"I am delighted to welcome Scott to our growing leadership team," said Dr. Chang. "He will play a critical role at Kite, spearheading our intellectual property strategy and further advancing our growing intellectual property estate in both CAR and TCR approaches in cancer immunotherapy."
Mr. Bernstein brings more than 20 years of global experience in biotechnology and pharmaceutical intellectual property law. He joins Kite from Amgen, where he led multiple legal teams in the oncology area, spearheading Amgen's intellectual property strategy for their oncology pipeline. For the last 13 years, he served as Amgen's legal Team Leader for Vectibix® (panitumumab) responsible for worldwide patent strategy, and also served as Group Leader of the Metabolic Diseases legal team, which included Prolia®/XGEVA® (denosumab), and evolocumab (PCSK9 antibody). Mr. Bernstein brings broad and extensive experience in creating, protecting, and enforcing intellectual property rights, as well as negotiating license, collaboration and M&A deals in the oncology area. Additionally, he has experience in negotiating and managing Cooperative Research and Development Agreements (CRADAs) with the NIH. Prior to Amgen, Mr. Bernstein was with Mathews, Collins, Shepherd & Gould, P.A. He received his undergraduate degree in molecular biology from University at Albany, State University of New York, and his J.D. from Franklin Pierce Law Center, University of New Hampshire School of Law. Mr. Bernstein is a registered patent attorney with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.
About Kite Pharma
Kite Pharma, Inc., is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company engaged in the development of novel cancer immunotherapy products, with a primary focus on eACT™ designed to restore the immune system's ability to recognize and eradicate tumors. In partnership with the NCI Surgery Branch through a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA), Kite is advancing a pipeline of proprietary eACT™ peripheral blood product candidates, both CAR (chimeric antigen receptor) and TCR (T cell receptor) products, directed to a wide range of cancer indications. Kite is based in Santa Monica, CA. For more information on Kite Pharma, please visit www.kitepharma.com.
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements for purposes of the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. We may, in some cases, use terms such as "predicts," "believes," "potential," "proposed," "continue," "estimates," "anticipates," "expects," "plans," "intends," "may," "could," "might," "will," "should" or other words that convey uncertainty of future events or outcomes to identify these forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements include statements regarding our intentions, beliefs, projections, outlook, analyses or current expectations concerning, among other things: the ability and willingness of the NCI to continue research and development activities relating to eACT™ pursuant to the CRADA, and our ability to protect our proprietary technology and enforce our intellectual property rights and expand our intellectual property estate. Various factors may cause differences between Kite's expectations and actual results as discussed in greater detail in Kite's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including without limitation in its Form 10-Q for the quarter ended September 30, 2014. Any forward-looking statements that we make in this press release speak only as of the date of this press release. We assume no obligation to update our forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, after the date of this press release.
CONTACT: Kite Contacts:
Cynthia M. Butitta
Chief Financial Officer and Chief Operating Officer
310-824-9999
For Media: Justin Jackson
Burns McClellan
(212) 213-0006
jjackson@burnsmc.com
