REDWOOD CITY, Calif., Jan. 13, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Synthego, a leading supplier of CRISPR solutions, has entered a strategic licensing agreement with global biopharmaceutical company AstraZeneca. This agreement grants Synthego a global license to manufacture and distribute AstraZeneca's novel CRISPR gene editing enzyme, eSpOT-ON, recently published as engineered ePsCas9 , to the worldwide research community. This state-of-the-art nuclease, developed by AstraZeneca, will be paired with Synthego's best-in-class gRNA to enable improved health outcomes.Under the terms of the agreement, Synthego also receives exclusive commercialization rights including the right to sublicense this nuclease for therapeutic and commercial use."Our agreement with AstraZeneca is a testament to our commitment to guiding researchers with customized CRISPR solutions that empower their therapeutic pursuits," said Craig Christianson, CEO of Synthego. "By enhancing our CRISPR expertise with AstraZeneca's novel nuclease, we are poised to expedite the development of transformative therapies, paving a streamlined and accelerated path to clinical advancement."Synthego's innovative approach simplifies the licensing process for CRISPR cell and gene therapies, ensuring that novel and groundbreaking nucleases and gRNAs are within reach for researchers. The company's extensive regulatory and technical expertise further bolsters the therapeutic development pipeline, providing a seamless integration from concept to clinic."We are excited to offer significantly lower upfront fees for rights to a leading CRISPR enzyme enabling therapeutic developers to de-risk their fundraising process, and making overall development costs significantly less than with traditional nucleases," continued Christianson.This licensing agreement marks a significant milestone in the field of CRISPR therapeutics, combining the strengths of Synthego's advanced solutions with AstraZeneca's innovative gene therapy technology

SHANGHAI and REDWOOD CITY, Calif. , May 29, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- HuidaGene Therapeutics ("HuidaGene"), a global clinical-stage biotechnology company focused on advancing CRISPR-based genomic medicines, and Synthego Corporation ("Synthego"), a leading provider of innovative CRISPR solutions for developing cell and gene therapies, proudly announce a partnered licensing agreement for the high-fidelity Cas12 CRISPR nuclease (hfCas12Max). This partnership underscores the significant clinical utility of hfCas12Max, naturally complementing Synthego's focus on advanced GMP manufacturing capabilities. Under this licensing agreement and pursuant to undisclosed financial terms between HuidaGene and Synthego, HuidaGene grants Synthego manufacturing and commercialization rights for the hfCas12Max nuclease and optimized gRNA for research; HuidaGene also grants Synthego the right to sublicense the nuclease for therapeutic use.This partnership will streamline the development of CRISPR-based therapeutic applications, providing developers with access to highly precise, efficient, and next-generation genome editing tools. Xuan Yao, Ph.D., Co-founder and President of HuidaGene, emphasized the significance of this agreement, stating, "HuidaGene's expansive CRISPR intellectual property portfolio distinguishes it as a vanguard in genomic medicine, with a versatile pipeline targeting critical neurological and ophthalmological conditions. Together with Synthego, we are poised to significantly accelerate the advancement of CRISPR-based therapies and deliver life-altering genomic medicines to patients worldwide."Craig Christianson, CEO of Synthego, expressed enthusiasm about the partnership with HuidaGene on hfCas12Max, stating, "The combination of our advanced CRISPR GMP production capabilities and regulatory expertise with HuidaGene's next-generation nuclease technology is a crucial step toward advancing transformative cell and gene therapies

Synthego also announced the addition of Dr. Bill Skarnes, a pioneer in stem cell research, to the company's advisory board.