Scribe Therapeutics Announces Research Collaboration with Sanofi to Accelerate Breakthrough CRISPR-based Cell Therapies for Cancer
- Sanofi selects Scribe’s CRISPR by Design™ platform to enable oncology pipeline of engineered natural killer (NK) cell therapies
- Scribe to grant Sanofi non-exclusive license to genome editing CasX-Editor (XE) technology for multiple oncology targets in exchange for a $25 million upfront fee with the potential for more than $1 billion in milestone payments, and tiered royalties
Scribe Therapeutics Inc., a molecular engineering company pioneering a CRISPR by Design™ platform for genetic medicine, today announced a strategic collaboration with Sanofi for the use of Scribe’s CRISPR genome editing technologies to enable genetic modification of novel natural killer (NK) cell therapies for cancer.
The agreement grants Sanofi non-exclusive rights to Scribe’s proprietary CRISPR platform of wholly owned enzymes to create ex vivo NK cell therapies. Scribe’s suite of custom engineering genome editing, and delivery tools called CasX-Editors (XE), based on novel foundations such as the CasX enzyme, will support Sanofi’s expanding pipeline of NK cell therapeutics for oncology.
“We’re pleased to provide Sanofi with access to Scribe’s proprietary and enhanced gene editing technologies for use in ex vivo oncology applications distinct from our current pipeline,” said Benjamin Oakes, Ph.D., co-founder and CEO of Scribe. “Scribe is proud to expand the use of our XE CRISPR technologies with the team at Sanofi, whose commitment to deep scientific rigor and clinical development experience will enable the rapid advancement of novel ex vivo cell therapies for patients in need.”
“At Sanofi, we are pushing the boundaries of science by developing a diverse range of next-generation therapies based on natural killer (NK) cells, which could have broad applications across solid tumors and blood cancers,” said Frank Nestle, Global Head of Research and Chief Scientific Officer, Sanofi. “This collaboration with Scribe complements our robust research efforts across the NK cell therapy spectrum and offers our scientists unique access to engineered CRISPR-based technologies as they strive to deliver off-the-shelf NK cell therapies and novel combination approaches that improve upon the first generation of cell therapies.”
Deal Terms
Under the terms of the agreement, Scribe will receive $25 million in upfront payment and be eligible to potentially receive more than $1 billion in payments based on development and commercial milestones, as well as tiered royalties on net future sales on any products that may result from this research agreement.
About Scribe Therapeutics
Scribe Therapeutics is a molecular engineering company focused on creating best-in-class in vivo therapies that permanently treat the underlying cause of disease. Founded by CRISPR inventors and leading molecular engineers Benjamin Oakes, Brett Staahl, David Savage, and Jennifer Doudna, Scribe is overcoming the limitations of current genome editing technologies by developing custom engineered enzymes and delivery modalities as part of a proprietary, evergreen CRISPR by Design™ platform for genetic medicine. The company is backed by leading individual and institutional investors including Andreessen Horowitz, Avoro Ventures and Avoro Capital Advisors, OrbiMed Advisors, Perceptive Advisors, funds and accounts advised by T. Rowe Price Associates, Inc., funds managed by Wellington Management, RA Capital Management, and Menlo Ventures. To learn more about Scribe’s mission to engineer the future of genetic medicine, visit www.scribetx.com.