Congresswoman April McClain Delaney Visits Kite Pharma and Hememics Biotechnologies
Congresswoman April McClain Delaney Visits Kite Pharma and Hememics Biotechnologies
FREDERICK, MD – Thursday, Congresswoman April McClain Delaney (MD-06) visited Kite Pharma and Hememics Biotechnologies, two companies dedicated to expanding medical research for diagnoses and treatments in the medical field.
Rep. McClain Delaney started the day by visiting Kite’s manufacturing facility in Frederick, where the company develops CAR T-cell therapies used to treat blood cancer. The treatment uses a patient’s own genetically modified T cells to attack their cancer cells. She spoke with employees about the importance of their work and their impact in Maryland and across the country. The company also partners with several academic and community organizations in Maryland to grow the region’s life sciences workforce through training and curriculum initiatives. The company has treated over 25,000 patients so far. Cancer is the second leading cause of death in Maryland, and cell therapies have the potential to save countless lives from this disease.
“Kite is making significant and continued investments in research and manufacturing to ensure that both patients of today and tomorrow benefit from the best possible outcomes. We have the largest, dedicated in-house cell therapy manufacturing network in the world with a 96% manufacturing success rate, and industry-leading turnaround times. We know manufacturing quality, reliability and speed are critically important as every day matters for these patients,” said Naren Kadaba, VP & Site Head, Kite Pharma.
Afterward, Rep. McClain Delaney visited Hememics Biotechnologies in Gaithersburg, where the small business is developing cutting-edge technology to deliver lab-quality testing for drug use, biotoxins and proteins via a handheld instrument to be used by professionals in the field. This technology has applications in environmental safety, veterinary care, the military and in urgent care centers and hospitals to better diagnose patients and save lives. During the visit, Congresswoman toured the facility and met with employees to learn about their work.
“We are honored to share our story of success with Congresswoman McClain Delaney. We have worked for years with the highly supportive Maryland business community. We are confident that our new Congresswoman will further the improvement of the business friendly community of our state,” said John L. Warden, Jr., Co-founder and CEO, Hememics Biotechnologies.
“Maryland is home to one of the largest life science hubs in the nation, driving next-generation innovation, groundbreaking discoveries and economic growth,” said Rep. McClain Delaney. “These entrepreneurial and visionary companies serve as models of how our private sector can build upon the work of our public institutions such as NIST and NIH. As a member of the House Science, Space and Technology Committee, I am committed to ensuring our public and private R&D sectors have the resources to deliver life-saving solutions for Americans in need.”
For updates, follow Rep. McClain Delaney at @RepAprilDelaney.
Congresswoman April McClain Delaney was elected in 2024 to serve Maryland’s 6th Congressional District, which encompasses all or part of Montgomery, Frederick, Washington, Allegany and Garrett Counties. In Congress, McClain Delaney is focused on improving US competitiveness and innovation, protecting our natural environment and championing policies that represent the values and priorities of Maryland’s 6th District.