Scribe Therapeutics, Inc. announced an expanded collaboration with Sanofi. Sanofi will license Scribe’s CRISPR X-Editing (XE) genome-editing technology to develop in vivo therapy for sickle cell disease (SCD). Prior to the expansion, Scribe and Sanofi collaborated on ex vivo natural killer (NK) cell therapies.
“This in vivo collaboration further demonstrates the versatility of Scribe’s design-based approaches to CRISPR, which enable greater activity, specificity, and deliverability, ultimately accelerating the development of life-changing therapeutics,” said Benjamin Oakes, PhD, co-founder and chief executive officer of Scribe.
Sanofi will pay Scribe $40 million upfront and an additional $1.2 billion contingent upon development and sales milestones for the exclusive license to use CRISPR XE technologies.
The companies plan to target SCD as well as other diseases through this collaboration. The CRISPR XE genome-editing technologies directly modify genes within the body, may streamline treatment processes for SCD, minimize complications of investigational ex vivo autologous treatments, and decrease the cost and length of treatment.
“We are pleased to expand our work with Scribe, an illustration of our shared commitment to advance best-in-class genome editing therapies for patients in need,” said Christian Mueller, global head of genomic medicine at Sanofi. “We’re encouraged by what we’ve accomplished to date with Scribe in creating ex vivo NK cell therapies and now look forward to accelerating our ability to effectively leverage genome editing in vivo through Sanofi’s innovative research work in targeted lipid nanoparticles, for in vivo therapies with the potential to dramatically improve treatment outcomes and ultimately to change patients’ lives.”
Source: Scribe Therapeutics, Inc. July 17, 2023.
