ERS Genomics and not-for-profit Medicines Discovery Catapult (MDC) have signed a non-exclusive commercial-use CRISPR license agreement.

The partnership hopes to combine ERS’s CRISPR/Cas9 patent portfolio with MDC’s expertise and technology.

As part of the deal, MDC and its partners will benefit from access to ERS’ CRISPR/Cas9 portfolio – the foundational CRISPR/Cas9 intellectual property held by Dr Emmanuelle Charpentier.

The agreement adds gene editing to MDC’s research and commercial capabilities in cellular science and biomarkers.

MDC and ERS believe the partnership will lead to the development of unique drug discovery tools and unlock insights that will drive faster, more effective drug discovery research in the UK and beyond.

Professor Chris Molloy, CEO of Medicines Discovery Catapult, commented: “At MDC, we are always looking for the right partnerships to drive innovation across our community, helping them bring medicines to market faster for patient benefit. This agreement with ERS Genomics offers huge potential for entrepreneurial scientists. By using the CRISPR/Cas9 portfolio with our world-class expertise and technologies, we can deliver more breakthroughs together.”

John Milad, CEO, ERS Genomics, added: “We welcome MDC to our family of licensees. Their extensive network of partners and collaborators across the private and public sectors, including CROs, universities, research institutes, and the NHS, will continue to widen access to CRISPR/Cas9 in drug discovery.”

Comprising 100+ patents globally, ERS’ portfolio encompasses CRISPR/Cas9 usage in all cells, including bacteria, archaea, yeasts, and algae, licensed via its direct license from Emmanuelle Charpentier.

Diana Spencer, Senior Digital Content Editor, DDW