Sec Form 4 Filing - Belldegrun Arie @ Kite Pharma, Inc. - 2016-12-20

FORM 4 Check this box if no longer subject to Section 16. Form 4 or Form 5 obligations may continue. See Instruction 1(b).

UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION Washington, D.C. 20549 STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, Section 17(a) of the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935 or Section 30(h) of the Investment Company Act of 1940

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1. Name and Address of Reporting Person Belldegrun Arie 2. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol Kite Pharma, Inc. [ KITE] 5. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer (Check all applicable) X __ Director _____ 10% Owner X __ Officer (give title below) _____ Other (specify below) Chairman, President and CEO (Last) (First) (Middle) C/O KITE PHARMA, INC., 2225 COLORADO AVENUE 3. Date of Earliest Transaction (MM/DD/YY) 12/20/2016 (Street) SANTA MONICA, CA90404 4. If Amendment, Date Original Filed (MM/DD/YY) 6. Individual or Joint/Group Filing (Check Applicable Line) __ X __ Form filed by One Reporting Person _____ Form filed by More than One Reporting Person (City) (State) (Zip)

Table I - Non-Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned 1.Title of Security (Instr. 3) 2. Transaction Date (MM/DD/YY) 2A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (MM/DD/YY) 3. Transaction Code (Instr. 8) 4. Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D) (Instr. 3, 4 and 5) 5. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s) (Instr. 3 and 4) 6. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4) 7. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4) Code V Amount (A) or (D) Price Common Stock 12/20/2016 S( 1 ) 3,493 D $ 50.86 24,707 D Common Stock 1,673,750 I See footnote ( 2 ) Common Stock 159,329 I See footnote ( 3 ) Common Stock 430,190 I See footnote ( 4 ) Common Stock 500,000 I See footnote ( 5 ) Common Stock 500,000 I See footnote ( 6 )

Table II - Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned ( e.g. , puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities) 1. Title of Derivative Security (Instr. 3) 2. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security 3. Transaction Date (MM/DD/YY) 3A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (MM/DD/YY) 4. Transaction Code (Instr. 8) 5. Number of Derivative Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D) (Instr. 3, 4, and 5) 6. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date (MM/DD/YY) 7. Title and Amount of Underlying Securities (Instr. 3 and 4) 8. Price of Derivative Security (Instr. 5) 9. Number of Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s) (Instr. 4) 10. Ownership Form of Derivative Security: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4) 11. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4) Code V (A) (D) Date Exercisable Expiration Date Title Amount or Number of Shares

Reporting Owners Reporting Owner Name / Address Relationships Director 10% Owner Officer Other Belldegrun Arie C/O KITE PHARMA, INC. 2225 COLORADO AVENUE SANTA MONICA, CA90404 X Chairman, President and CEO Signatures /s/ David M. Tanen, Attorney-in-Fact 12/22/2016 Signature of Reporting Person Date

Explanation of Responses:

( 1 )Shares were sold to cover the tax obligation that occurred upon the vesting of an RSU. ( 2 )The securities are held in the name of Arie and Rebecka Belldegrun as Trustees of the Belldegrun Family Trust dated February 18, 1994. ( 3 )The securities are held in the name of The Arie Belldegrun MD, Inc. Profit Sharing Plan, for which the reporting person serves as trustee. The reporting person disclaims beneficial ownership of these securities except to the extent of his pecuniary interest therein, and the inclusion of these shares in this report shall not be deemed an admission of beneficial ownership of all of the reported shares for purposes of Section 16 or for any other purpose. ( 4 )The securities are held in the name of MDRB Partnership, L.P., of which the reporting person is a managing partner. The reporting person disclaims beneficial ownership of these securities except to the extent of his pecuniary interest therein, and the inclusion of these shares in this report shall not be deemed an admission of beneficial ownership of all of the reported shares for purposes of Section 16 or for any other purpose. ( 5 )The securities are held in the name of Bioeast, LLC, of which the reporting person is a managing member. The reporting person disclaims beneficial ownership of these securities except to the extent of his pecuniary interest therein, and the inclusion of these shares in this report shall not be deemed an admission of beneficial ownership of all of the reported shares for purposes of Section 16 or for any other purpose. ( 6 )The securities are held in the name of Bellco Capital, LLC, of which the reporting person is the Manager. The reporting person disclaims beneficial ownership of these securities except to the extent of his pecuniary interest therein, and the inclusion of these shares in this report shall not be deemed an admission of beneficial ownership of all of the reported shares for purposes of Section 16 or for any other purpose.

Reminder: Report on a separate line for each class of securities beneficially owned directly or indirectly.

* If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction 4(b)(v).

** Intentional misstatements or omissions of facts constitute Federal Criminal Violations. See 18 U.S.C. 1001 and 15 U.S.C. 78ff(a).

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