Astellas Sells Certain Research Facilities to Gilead’s Kite Pharma

Astellas Pharma has transferred certain research facilities from Agensys, an affiliate of Astellas, in Santa Monica, California to Kite Pharma, Gilead Sciences’ cell-therapy subsidiary, located in Santa Monica. The asset transfer was completed on April 12, 2018.

The facilities transfer is part of the wind-down process of the Agensys research operations as announced by Astellas in July 2017. Additional wind-down activities were completed in the first quarter of calendar year 2018, following the company’s decision to further refine its oncology strategy by expanding its investment in the research of new technologies and modalities and reducing its focus on antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) research, which was the core focus of work conducted at Agensys.

Astellas said it will continue certain clinical trials and collaborations on some ADC programs that have been in progress at Agensys, including its collaboration with Seattle Genetics, a Bothell, Washington-headquartered biopharmaceutical company.

Source: Astellas Pharma

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