Kite Pharma, a clinical-stage biotechnology company focused on developing engineered autologous T cell therapy (eACT) products for cancer, has appointed Keith Nolop, M.D., chief medical officer. Nolop, with 20 years of drug development experience at both biotechnology and global pharmaceutical companies, was previously senior vice president of development and chief medical officer at Plexxikon.

"Dr. Nolop's vast experience in drug development from conception to approval will be instrumental to advancing Kite's eACT products through multi-center clinical trials and on to registration," said Aya Jakobovits, Ph.D., president and chief executive officer of Kite Pharma.

While at Plexxikon, Nolop was the clinical lead for the development of vemurafenib, a selective inhibitor of mutated BRAF in melanoma co-developed with Hoffman-La Roche and approved worldwide in 2011. He also led the filing of eight IND applications since joining Plexxikon in 2004, including other selective kinase inhibitors in hematological and solid tumor indications.