The UCLA biopharmaceutical company has filed its S-1.
Kite Pharma, an immuno-oncology specialist, has announced it is aiming for an initial public offering (IPO). It has submitted the necessary registration statement on form S-1 with the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).
Jefferies, Credit Suisse Securities, as well as Cowen and Company are acting as joint book-running managers, with Stifel as co-manager. All shares of common stock will be offered by Kite, with the number of shares and price range yet to be determined.
Kite Pharma is a privately held clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company engaged in the development of novel cancer immunotherapy products. It was spun out from the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) and has raised a total $85m – in a series A and venture round – so far.
Kite’s research and development focusses on haematological and solid tumours, as immunotherapy is becoming one of the industry’s hottest fields. Its lead product is eACT, a broad platform technology encompassing T cells manufactured in the lab. These T cells – part of the body’s natural defence mechanism – are genetically re-directed against cancerous cells. The technology essentially turns the body’s own immune system into an effective weapon against cancer.
