Precision BioSciences and Cellectis SA Announce Cross-License and Settlement Agreement for Gene Editing Technology
Enables Broad Commercialization of Highly Specific Engineered Meganuclease Technology
RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, N.C. & PARIS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--January 30, 2014--
Regulatory News:
Precision BioSciences, Inc. and Cellectis SA (Paris:ALCLS), today announced that they have reached an agreement to settle patent litigation involving engineered I-CreI meganuclease technology. As part of the settlement, the companies will cross-license certain genome engineering patents and drop their on-going lawsuits and patent challenges. This agreement provides clear freedom to operate for both companies in the engineered I-CreI meganuclease genome engineering field.
Engineered meganucleases are one of the preferred genome engineering technologies for most high-value applications. Their small size and exquisite specificity make them safer and easier to deliver than alternative gene editing tools. In addition, current embodiments of the technology are versatile enough to edit any gene in a genome.
"We are pleased to have reached this agreement with our colleagues at Cellectis," said Matthew Kane, Precision BioSciences' CEO, "and are very much looking forward to focusing fully on the commercial development of highly needed products utilizing our Directed Nuclease Editor genome engineering technology."
"This agreement with our colleagues at Precision Biosciences sets the value of innovation of a proven and effective genome engineering tool: meganucleases," stated Dr. André Choulika, Chairman and CEO of Cellectis, "This natural technology has tremendous advantages and has now the full potential to be developed in a number important applications such as agricultural biology and bioproduction."
About Precision BioSciences
Precision BioSciences' mission is to continually provide, improve, and enable the world's most powerful genome engineering technology. Precision's proprietary Directed Nuclease Editor(TM) (DNE) technology enables the production of genome editing enzymes that can insert, remove, modify, and regulate essentially any gene in mammalian or plant cells.
Precision BioSciences' vision is to be the conduit through which the world's greatest genome engineering challenges are solved. Precision has successfully utilized its DNE technology to create innovative products in partnerships with many of the world's largest biopharmaceutical and agbiotech firms. Internally, Precision is developing DNE-based products for biologics manufacturing and human therapeutics. For additional information, please visit www.precisionbiosciences.com.
About Cellectis
Cellectis is a biopharmaceutical company focused on oncology. The company's mission is to develop a novel generation of therapy based on allogeneic T-cell to treat cancer. Cellectis capitalizes on its 14 years of expertise in genome engineering based on TALEN(TM), meganuclease, and, the state-of-the-art electroporation technology Pulsagile to create the 4(th) generation of cancer immunotherapy to treat leukemia and solid tumors. Cellectis adoptive cancer immunotherapy to cure chronic and acute leukemias is based on the first allogeneic T-cell Chimeric Antigen Receptor (CAR) technology. CAR technologies are designed to target cell surface antigens expressed on cells. These treatments reduce toxicities associated with current chemotherapeutics and have the potential for curative therapy. The Cellectis Group is focused on life sciences and use leading genome engineering technologies to build innovative products in various fields and markets. Cellectis is listed on the NYSE Alternext market (ticker: ALCLS). To find out more about us, visit our website: www.cellectis.com.
Disclaimer
This press release and the information contained herein do not constitute an offer to sell or subscribe, or a solicitation of an offer to buy or subscribe, for shares in Cellectis in any country.
CONTACT: Cellectis:
Philippe Valachs, +33 (0)1 81 69 16 00
or
Precision BioSciences:
Chelsea Lynam, +1 919 314-5512