– Expansion Will Bring 100 More Jobs to Frederick County –
Santa Monica, Calif. – January 10, 2023 – Kite, a Gilead Company (Nasdaq: GILD), today announced that it is expanding its global cell therapy supply chain operations in Frederick, Maryland with a new, centralized raw materials warehouse that will serve Kite’s global manufacturing network. The expansion will bring an additional 100 jobs to the area, deepening the company’s investment in the local life sciences community.
Kite’s CAR T-cell therapy uses the power of a person’s own immune system to recognize, attack and destroy certain types of cancer with a one-time, individualized treatment.
“As the global leader in cell therapy, it is important to continue to streamline our manufacturing processes to meet the needs of people living with difficult-to-treat blood cancers. Centralizing our raw materials storage and testing will enable us to bring control of materials in-house to increase the speed and efficiency of our global manufacturing operations so we can continue to grow to meet patient demand,“ said Chris McDonald, SVP & Global Head of Technical Operations, Kite. “Additionally, by locating these global operations in Maryland, we can serve both our European and California manufacturing operations in the same day. With three major airports in the area, we have increased flexibility in receiving and shipping materials, which is critical for patients who are waiting for our therapies.“
This facility joins Kite’s existing manufacturing facilities in Maryland, California and the Netherlands – forming the largest dedicated in-house cell therapy manufacturing network in the world, spanning process development, vector manufacturing, clinical trial production and commercial product manufacturing.
The new warehouse will be located adjacent to Kite’s existing facility at the Urbana Corporate Center in Frederick. With this expansion, the company expects to employ more than 500 full-time staff in Maryland across both sites by the end of 2026. Construction on the new warehouse is expected to begin this year.
About Kite
Kite, a Gilead Company, is a global biopharmaceutical company based in Santa Monica, California, focused on cell therapy to treat and potentially cure cancer. As the global cell therapy leader, Kite has treated more patients with CAR T-cell therapy than any other company. Kite has the largest in-house cell therapy manufacturing network in the world, spanning process development, vector manufacturing, clinical trial production and commercial product manufacturing. For more information on Kite, please visit www.kitepharma.com.
About Gilead Sciences
Gilead Sciences, Inc. is a biopharmaceutical company that has pursued and achieved breakthroughs in medicine for more than three decades, with the goal of creating a healthier world for all people. The company is committed to advancing innovative medicines to prevent and treat life-threatening diseases, including HIV, viral hepatitis and cancer. Gilead operates in more than 35 countries worldwide, with headquarters in Foster City, California.
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 uncertainties relating to regulatory applications and related filing and approval timelines, including Kite’s ability to enhance its manufacturing and supply chain capabilities, including its ability to produce an amount of supply sufficient to satisfy demand for Kite’s therapies; difficulties or unanticipated expenses in connection with the expansion of Kite’s manufacturing operations, including its ability to complete construction of the new warehouse facility and to expand its workforce in the anticipated timelines or at all; and any assumptions underlying any of the foregoing. These and other risks, uncertainties and other factors are described in detail in Gilead’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended September 30, 2022, as filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. These risks, uncertainties and other factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those referred to in the forward-looking statements. All statements other than statements of historical fact are statements that could be deemed forward-looking statements. The reader is cautioned that any such forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve risks and uncertainties and is cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. All forward-looking statements are based on information currently available to Kite and Gilead, and Kite and Gilead assume no obligation and disclaim any intent to update any such forward-looking statements.
Kite, the Kite logo and GILEAD are trademarks of Gilead Sciences, Inc. or its related companies.
For more information on Kite, please visit the company’s website at www.kitepharma.com. Follow Kite on social media on Twitter (@KitePharma) and LinkedIn.