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Inscripta, Hunterian Boost Access to CRISPR Gene-Editing Tools
Under the terms of the agreement, Hunterian can access Inscripta’s CRISPR nucleases for use in its gene-editing programs to develop therapeutics for patients in need.
Inscripta recently granted a non-exclusive license to Hunterian Medicine, a gene-editing and gene therapy company, to access one of several CRISPR nucleases in its Madagascar family of nucleases (MADzymes).
Under the terms of the agreement, Hunterian can access the CRISPR nuclease, MAD7, or improved MADzymes nucleases in its gene-editing programs to develop therapeutics for patients in need.
The license complements Hunterian’s proprietary technology that enables in vivo delivery of CRISPR via a single adeno-associated virus (AAV) vector.
Gene-editing has significant potential for breakthrough innovation throughout healthcare, while CRISPR demonstrated potential in therapeutic applications. But biopharma companies have limitations in their access.
“By providing more flexible access to MADzyme nucleases to companies such as Hunterian, Inscripta believes that we can help drive scientific progress and expand the use of CRISPR across more application areas and industries in the bioeconomy,” Sri Kosaraju, president and CEO of Inscripta, said in the announcement.
“We look forward to working with Hunterian to enable their AAV-based gene-editing programs to address significant unmet medical needs,” Kosaraju continued.
Inscripta released the MAD7 nuclease for research and development in 2017. Since then, the nuclease has been widely adopted and used in microbes, plants, mammalian cell lines, stem cells, and animal models.
The recent announcement is an extension of Inscripta’s licensing program to increase access to CRISPR and address limitations in CRISPR-based development and commercialization.
Hunterian is the first biopharmaceutical organization to license the MAD7 nuclease under Inscripta’s commercial licensing program.
“The vast therapeutic potential of gene-editing has one primary barrier: Delivery. Hunterian solved this problem by enabling CRISPR systems to fit inside a single AAV, the gold standard for gene delivery,” said Vinny Jaskula-Ranga, MD, president and CEO of Hunterian Medicine.
“MAD7 is a particularly important alternative to commonly used Cas9 nucleases given that it has significantly fewer off-target effects,” Jaskula-Ranga added.
