Cencora and Kite Forge Distribution Partnership to Expand U.S. Access to CAR T-Cell Therapies Yescarta and Tecartus
Key Insights
Cencora has entered an agreement with Kite (search), a Gilead company, to distribute the FDA-approved CAR T-cell therapies Yescarta and Tecartus across the United States.
The collaboration aims to support an expanding network of authorized treatment centers, including health systems and community oncology practices, bringing therapies closer to patients.
Cencora will leverage its cell and gene therapy services platform to manage logistics, order management, and site support, reducing administrative burdens for healthcare providers.
CONSHOHOCKEN, Pa. — Cencora has entered into an agreement with Kite (search), a Gilead Sciences company, to distribute two FDA-approved CAR T-cell cancer therapies across a growing network of U.S. treatment centers, a strategic move aimed at broadening patient access to one of oncology's most complex and resource-intensive treatment categories.
The agreement covers Yescarta (axicabtagene ciloleucel) and Tecartus (brexucabtagene autoleucel), Kite (search)'s approved CAR T-cell therapies for certain blood cancers (search). The collaboration comes as Kite expands the number of authorized treatment sites nationwide, extending beyond major academic medical centers into health systems and community oncology practices.
"Our focus is on ensuring every appropriate patient who needs our CAR T-cell therapies can access and benefit from these treatments," said Christophe Griolet, U.S. Vice President and General Manager at Kite (search). "Cencora has a proven track record of supporting complex therapies. As we expand our treatment center network, Cencora's specialty distribution infrastructure and expertise will support a seamless experience across new and existing sites, reducing provider barriers and enabling us to meet patients where they are."
Addressing the Logistics Challenge of Personalized Medicine
CAR T-cell therapies are personalized treatments manufactured from a patient's own immune cells, requiring specialized logistics, handling, and coordination that have historically limited availability outside major medical centers. The individualized nature of these therapies poses unique operational challenges for healthcare providers.
"Cell therapies are individualized treatments made from a patient's own cells, and pose unique challenges to healthcare providers, including health systems and community practices," said Melissa Lattanzi, Vice President of Emerging Therapies at Cencora. "As Kite expands its treatment center network, we will leverage our distribution infrastructure and services to support efficient access and reduce administrative burdens — including order management — across sites of care, advancing Kite (search)'s goal to bring therapies closer to patients' homes."
Under the agreement, Cencora will provide specialty distribution services through its cell and gene therapy (CGT) services platform, which offers developers integrated solutions across the product lifecycle to help bring products to market, streamline market entry, and support efficient access.
A Broader Industry Shift Toward Community-Based Care
The collaboration reflects a broader pharmaceutical industry push to expand access to cell and gene therapies beyond large academic hospitals and into community-based care settings, where patients may face fewer travel and treatment barriers.
"Delivering on the promise of CAR T requires a connected ecosystem," said Mark Kelley, Senior Director of Enterprise Cell and Gene Therapy Business Development and Account Management at Cencora. "We share Kite (search)'s commitment to expanding patient access and will deliver the services needed to help these therapies reach the patients who need them."
The agreement also strengthens Cencora's position in the cell and gene therapy supply chain, an area that has drawn increasing attention as more advanced therapies reach commercial markets and require specialized distribution capabilities. Cencora, ranked #10 on the Fortune 500 with more than $300 billion in annual revenue, continues to expand its footprint in the emerging therapies space.
Financial terms of the agreement were not disclosed.