Caribou Biosciences Announces Grant Of A Key CRISPR-Cas9 Genome Editing Patent In Europe

BERKELEY, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Caribou Biosciences, Inc., a leading genome engineering company, announced today that the European Patent Office (EPO) has granted a broad CRISPR-Cas9 genome editing patent to The Regents of the University of California, the University of Vienna, and Dr. Emmanuelle Charpentier. Caribou holds the exclusive license to the foundational CRISPR-Cas9 patent estate from the University of California and the University of Vienna.

The European patent, EP 2 800 811, includes claims covering the widely adopted CRISPR-Cas9 single-guide RNA compositions for use in any non-cellular and cellular setting, including eukaryotic cells, such as mammalian, human and plant cells. The patent also covers methods of using the technology in in vitro and ex vivo settings using the single-guide RNA format.

"We are delighted by the EPO’s decision to recognize the foundational CRISPR-Cas9 discoveries of Jennifer Doudna, Emmanuelle Charpentier, and their colleagues through this important and far-reaching patent," remarked Dr. Rachel Haurwitz, President and CEO of Caribou. "This patent represents a significant addition to the extensive and leading IP portfolio Caribou is building."

The European patent is validated in approximately forty European countries, including Germany, Italy, France, Spain, and Switzerland. The EPO grant follows grants by the United Kingdom's Intellectual Property Office (UKIPO) of patents from this family. The UK patents relate to the CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing systems involving single-guide RNA in both non-cellular and cellular settings (UK Patent No. 2518764) and chimeric CRISPR-Cas9 systems in which the Cas9 protein is modified to provide alternative DNA-modulating activities (UK Patent No. 2537000).

About Caribou Biosciences
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. Licenses are available from Caribou in multiple fields including research tools, internal research use, diagnostics, and industrial biotechnology. Interested companies can contact Caribou at licensing@cariboubio.com. For more information about Caribou, visit www.cariboubio.com and follow the Company @CaribouBio. “Caribou Biosciences” and the Caribou logo are registered trademarks of Caribou Biosciences, Inc.