- Patent granted for groundbreaking work by Jennifer Doudna’s and Emmanuelle Charpentier’s research teams in CRISPR/Cas9
genome editing technology
- Patent covers use of optimized guide RNA molecules
ZUG, Switzerland and CAMBRIDGE, Mass. and BERKELEY, Calif., June 19, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- CRISPR Therapeutics (NASDAQ:CRSP),
Intellia Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ:NTLA), and Caribou Biosciences, Inc., announced that The Regents of the University of
California, the University of Vienna and Emmanuelle Charpentier, Ph.D. (collectively, “UC”), co-owners of foundational intellectual
property relating to CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing technology, were granted U.S. Patent No. 10,000,772 (“the ‘772 patent”) today by
the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). The patent covers methods of using optimized guide RNA formats (including single
guide and dual guide formats) in certain environments, including eukaryotic cells (such as human, animal and plant cells). The
optimized formats modify the part of a guide RNA that interacts with the CRISPR/Cas9 nuclease.
The ‘772 patent claims priority to a U.S. provisional application, filed by UC on May 25, 2012. This application broadly
encompasses the CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing technology invented by Jennifer Doudna’s and Charpentier’s research teams.
CRISPR Therapeutics, Intellia Therapeutics and Caribou Biosciences issued the following joint statement on the grant of the ‘772
patent: “We believe that the U.S. patent ‘772 granted today covers the use of CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing with the RNA guide formats
that are widely used throughout the industry. We anticipate this is the first of many patents that will be granted to UC on this
foundational CRISPR/Cas9 intellectual property.”
In addition to this granted U.S. patent, applications from this patent estate have been found allowable in the United States and
also have issued in Europe, the United Kingdom, China, Japan and various other countries worldwide. These patents cover the dual-
and single-guide RNA compositions of the widely adopted CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing technology and their uses in all environments,
including plant, animal and human cells as well as for use in human therapeutics.
The ‘772 patent is not impacted by the USPTO’s decision to terminate an interference between a separate UC patent application
and a patent application owned by the Broad Institute, Harvard University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology without
reaching a decision on which inventors were the first to invent the use of CRISPR/Cas9 technology for genome editing. UC’s appeal
of that decision was heard on April 30, 2018 by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, which will issue a decision in
the future.
For more information on the foundational CRISPR/Cas9 intellectual property, please visit www.crisprcollective.com.
About CRISPR Therapeutics
CRISPR Therapeutics is a leading gene editing company focused on developing transformative gene-based medicines for serious
diseases using its proprietary CRISPR/Cas9 platform. CRISPR/Cas9 is a revolutionary gene editing technology that allows for
precise, directed changes to genomic DNA. CRISPR Therapeutics has established a portfolio of therapeutic programs across a
broad range of disease areas including hemoglobinopathies, oncology and rare diseases. To accelerate and expand its
efforts, CRISPR Therapeutics has established strategic collaborations with leading companies including Bayer
AG and Vertex Pharmaceuticals. CRISPR Therapeutics AG is headquartered in Zug, Switzerland, with its
wholly-owned U.S. subsidiary, CRISPR Therapeutics, Inc., and R&D operations based in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and
business offices in London, United Kingdom. For more information, please visit www.crisprtx.com.
About Intellia Therapeutics
Intellia Therapeutics is a leading genome editing company focused on developing proprietary, curative therapeutics
using the CRISPR/Cas9 system. Intellia believes the CRISPR/Cas9 technology has the potential to transform medicine by permanently
editing disease-associated genes in the human body with a single treatment course, and through improved cell therapies that can
treat cancer and immunological diseases by replacing patients’ diseased cells. The combination of deep scientific, technical and
clinical development experience, along with its leading intellectual property portfolio, puts Intellia in a unique position to
unlock broad therapeutic applications of the CRISPR/Cas9 technology and create a new class of therapeutic products. Learn more
about Intellia Therapeutics and CRISPR/Cas9 at intelliatx.com and follow us on Twitter @intelliatweets.
About Caribou Biosciences, Inc.
Caribou is a leading company in CRISPR genome engineering founded by pioneers of CRISPR/Cas9 biology based on research
carried out in the Doudna Laboratory at the University of California, Berkeley. Caribou’s tools and technologies provide
transformative capabilities to therapeutic development, agricultural biotechnology, industrial biotechnology, and basic and applied
biological research. For more information, including information about obtaining research and commercial licenses as well as
collaborations, visit www.cariboubio.com and follow the Company @CaribouBio. “Caribou Biosciences” and the Caribou logo are trademarks of Caribou Biosciences,
Inc.
CRISPR Therapeutics’ Forward-Looking Statement
Certain statements set forth in this press release constitute “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private
Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, as amended, including, but not limited to, statements concerning: the timing of filing of
clinical trial applications and INDs, any approvals thereof and timing of commencement of clinical trials, the intellectual
property coverage and positions of CRISPR Therapeutics, its licensors and third parties, the sufficiency of CRISPR Therapeutics’
cash resources and the therapeutic value, development, and commercial potential of CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing technologies and
therapies. You are cautioned that forward-looking statements are inherently uncertain. Although CRISPR Therapeutics believes that
such statements are based on reasonable assumptions within the bounds of its knowledge of its business and operations, the
forward-looking statements are neither promises nor guarantees and they are necessarily subject to a high degree of uncertainty and
risk. Actual performance and results may differ materially from those projected or suggested in the forward-looking statements due
to various risks and uncertainties. These risks and uncertainties include, among others: uncertainties regarding the intellectual
property protection for our technology and intellectual property belonging to third parties; uncertainties inherent in the
initiation and completion of preclinical studies for CRISPR Therapeutics’ product candidates; availability and timing of results
from preclinical studies; whether results from a preclinical trial will be predictive of future results of the future trials;
expectations for regulatory approvals to conduct trials or to market products; and those risks and uncertainties described under
the heading “Risk Factors” in CRISPR Therapeutics’ most recent annual report on Form 10-K, and in any other subsequent filings made
by CRISPR Therapeutics with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), which are available on the SEC’s website
at www.sec.gov. Existing and prospective investors are cautioned not to place undue
reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date they are made, and CRISPR Therapeutics undertakes no
duty to update this information unless required by law.
Intellia Therapeutics’ Forward-Looking Statement
This press release contains “forward-looking statements” of Intellia within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation
Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, express or implied statements regarding the
intellectual property position and strategy of Intellia, its licensors or other parties from which it derives rights, including
with respect to intellectual property regarding the CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing technology, or that of unrelated third parties;
Intellia’s ability to develop and commercialize CRISPR/Cas9-based therapeutic products to address severe and life-threatening
diseases; and Intellia’s scientific, business and financial plans and prospects. Any forward-looking statements in this press
release are based on management’s current expectations of future events and are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties that
could cause actual results to differ materially and adversely from those set forth in or implied by such forward-looking
statements. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, risks related to Intellia’s ability to protect and
maintain its position and rights regarding its intellectual property portfolio, risks related to the ability of Intellia’s
licensors and other parties from which it derives rights to protect and maintain their intellectual property position and rights,
the risk that third parties own or control intellectual property necessary for Intellia to develop or commercialize its product
candidates, and the risk that any one or more of Intellia’s product candidates will not be successfully developed and
commercialized. For a discussion of other risks and uncertainties, and other important factors, any of which could cause Intellia’s
actual results to differ from those contained in the forward-looking statements, see the section entitled “Risk Factors” in
Intellia’s most recent annual report on Form 10-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, as well as discussions of
potential risks, uncertainties, and other important factors in Intellia’s subsequent filings with the Securities and Exchange
Commission. All information in this press release is as of the date of the release, and Intellia Therapeutics undertakes no duty to
update this information unless required by law.
CRISPR Therapeutics Contacts
Media:
Jennifer Paganelli
WCG for CRISPR Therapeutics
+1 347-658-8290
jpaganelli@wcgworld.com
Investors:
Chris Erdman
+1 617-686-1718
christopher.erdman@crisprtx.com
Intellia Therapeutics Contacts
Media:
Jennifer Mound Smoter
+1 857-706-1071
jenn.smoter@intelliatx.com
Investors:
Lindsey Trickett
+1 857-285-6211
lindsey.trickett@intelliatx.com
Caribou Biosciences Contact
Greg Kelley
Feinstein Kean Healthcare
+1 404-836-2302
gregory.kelley@fkhealth.com
