Merck KgaA Licenses Genome-Editing Technology to Two Companies
October 12 2020 - 9:25AM
Dow Jones News
By Cecilia Butini
Merck KgaA said Monday that it has signed agreements with
Canadian cell therapy firm PanCELLa Inc. and with U.S.-based
biotechnology company Takara Bio USA, Inc. to license them its
CRISPR genome-editing technology.
The German health-care company said licensing of the
technology--which allows for the cutting of portions of DNA in
order to make changes--has the goal of accelerating drug discovery
research in order to develop new therapies.
PanCELLa will use Merck's CRISPR patent in the development of
therapeutics with genetically modified cell lines, the company
said.
Under the agreement, Takara Bio will use Merck's CRISPR
integration and vector technologies for the development of its own
vector products and cell engineering services, Merck said. In
molecular biology, vectors are used to carry genetic material into
cells.
Merck didn't disclose payment details related to the licensing
agreements.
Write to Cecilia Butini at cecilia.butini@wsj.com
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
October 12, 2020 09:10 ET (13:10 GMT)
Copyright (c) 2020 Dow Jones & Company, Inc.
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