CRISPR Therapeutics (NASDAQ:CRSP), Intellia Therapeutics
(NASDAQ:NTLA), Caribou Biosciences and ERS Genomics announced today
that The Regents of the University of California, the University of
Vienna, and Dr. Emmanuelle Charpentier (collectively “UC”),
co-owners of foundational intellectual property relating to
CRISPR/Cas9 genome engineering, have appealed to the U.S. Court of
Appeals for the Federal Circuit (the “Federal Circuit”) the
decision by the Patent Trial and Appeal Board (“PTAB”) to terminate
the interference between certain CRISPR/Cas9 patent claims owned by
UC and patents and patent applications owned by the Broad
Institute, Harvard University and the Massachusetts Institute of
Technology (collectively, “Broad”).
In the appeal, UC is seeking review and reversal of
the PTAB’s February 15, 2017 decision, which terminated the
interference without determining which inventors actually invented
the use of the CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing technology in eukaryotic
cells. In its decision, the PTAB concluded that, although the
claims overlap, the respective scope of UC and Broad’s claim sets
as presented did not define the same patentable invention and,
accordingly, terminated the interference without deciding which
party first invented the use of the CRISPR/Cas9 technology in
eukaryotic cells. UC is asking the Federal Circuit to review and
reverse the PTAB’s decision.
In parallel with the appeal, UC is pursuing
applications in the U.S. and other jurisdictions worldwide to
obtain patents claiming the CRISPR/Cas9 technology and its use in
non-cellular and cellular settings, including eukaryotic cells.
Corresponding patents have already been granted in the United
Kingdom, and the European Patent Office is also granting a patent
to UC, which will issue on May 10, 2017. UC’s earliest patent
application describing the CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing technology
and its use was filed on May 25, 2012, while the Broad’s earliest
patent application was filed more than six months later, on
December 12, 2012.
The law firm of Munger, Tolles & Olson LLP will
be handling the appeal, with Don Verrilli, former Solicitor General
of the United States, as lead counsel.
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 gene-editing platform. CRISPR/Cas9 is a revolutionary
technology that allows for precise, directed changes to genomic
DNA. The Company’s multi-disciplinary team of world-class
researchers and drug developers is working to translate this
technology into breakthrough human therapeutics in a number of
serious diseases. Additionally, CRISPR Therapeutics has established
strategic collaborations with Bayer AG and Vertex Pharmaceuticals
to develop CRISPR-based therapeutics in diseases with high unmet
need. The foundational CRISPR/Cas9 patent estate for human
therapeutic use was licensed from the Company’s scientific founder
Emmanuelle Charpentier, Ph.D. CRISPR Therapeutics is headquartered
in Basel, Switzerland with its R&D operations based in
Cambridge, Massachusetts. For more information, please visit
www.crisprtx.com.
About Intellia
Therapeutics Intellia Therapeutics is a leading
genome editing company, focused on the development of proprietary,
potentially 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. Intellia’s
combination of deep scientific, technical and clinical development
experience, along with its leading intellectual property portfolio,
puts it 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; 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.
About ERS Genomics ERS
Genomics was formed to provide broad access
to the foundational CRISPR/Cas9 intellectual property held by Dr.
Emmanuelle Charpentier. Non-exclusive licenses are available for
research and sale of products and services across multiple fields
including: research tools, kits, reagents; discovery of novel
targets for therapeutic intervention; cell lines for discovery and
screening of novel drug candidates; GMP production of healthcare
products; production of industrial materials such as enzymes,
biofuels and chemicals; and synthetic biology. For additional
information please visit www.ersgenomics.com.
CRISPR’s 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
therapeutic value, development, and commercial potential of
CRISPR/Cas-9 gene editing technologies and therapies and the
intellectual property protection of our technology and therapies.
You are cautioned that forward-looking statements are inherently
uncertain. Although the company 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 the Company’s 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 the
company’s most recent annual report on Form 10-K, and in any other
subsequent filings made by the company 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. The
information contained in this press release is provided by the
company as of the date hereof, and, except as required by law, the
company disclaims any intention or responsibility for updating or
revising any forward-looking information contained in this press
release.
Intellia’s 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’s licensors; and Intellia’s ability to advance
CRISPR/Cas9 into therapeutic products for severe and
life-threatening diseases and its CRISPR/Cas9 intellectual property
portfolio. 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 intellectual
property position, risks related to the ability of Intellia’s
licensors to protect and maintain their intellectual property
position, the risk that any one or more of Intellia’s product
candidates will not be successfully developed and commercialized,
the risk of cessation or delay of any of the ongoing or planned
clinical trials and/or development of Intellia’s product
candidates, the risk that the results of previously conducted
studies involving similar product candidates will not be repeated
or observed in ongoing or future studies involving current product
candidates, and the risk that Intellia’s collaborations with
Novartis or Regeneron will not continue or will not be successful.
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 CONTACTS
Media: Jennifer Paganelli WCG for
CRISPR +1 347-658-8290 jpaganelli@wcgworld.com
Investors: Chris Brinzey Westwicke
Partners for CRISPR + 1 339-970-2843
chris.brinzey@westwicke.com
INTELLIA CONTACTS
Media: Jennifer Mound
Smoter Senior Vice President, External Affairs &
Communications + 1 857-706-1071 jenn.smoter@intelliatx.com
Investors: Graeme Bell
Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer + 1 857-706-1081
graeme.bell@intelliatx.com
CARIBOU CONTACT
Greg Kelley Feinstein Kean Healthcare + 1
404-836-2302 gregory.kelley@fkhealth.com
ERS GENOMICS CONTACTS
MacDougall Biomedical Communications Mario Brkulj
or Dr. Stephanie May +49 89 2420 9345 or +48 89 2420 9344
mbrkulj@macbiocom.com or smay@macbiocom.com
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