License agreement provides StemSight access to CRISPR/Cas9 technology to be applied in development of cell therapies for corneal blindness

Dublin, Ireland, and Tampere, Finland: ERS Genomics Limited (‘ERS’), the CRISPR licensing Company, which was formed to provide broad access to the foundational CRISPR/Cas9 intellectual property co-owned by Dr Emmanuelle Charpentier, and StemSight Oy (‘StemSight’), a biotechnology company developing stem cell based therapies for corneal blindness, today announced a non-exclusive CRISPR/Cas9 license agreement. The agreement grants StemSight access to ERS’ CRISPR/Cas9 patent portfolio.

StemSight is a preclinical biotechnology company developing off-the-shelf cell therapies for unmet medical needs in corneal blindness. Led by a team of expert scientists in the field of stem cells and tissue engineering for eye applications, StemSight originated as a spin-out from pluripotent stem cell pioneer Prof. Heli Skottman’s laboratory at Tampere University. StemSight is at the forefront of innovative research in regenerative medicine of the cornea.

Dr Laura Koivusalo, CEO and Co-founder of StemSight, said: “This partnership with ERS Genomics is a significant leap forward for StemSight. By harnessing the remarkable capabilities of CRISPR/Cas9 we will be able to address major challenges of the current allogeneic cell therapies, ultimately bringing us closer to life-changing therapies for patients with currently incurable blindness.”

Eric Rhodes, CEO, ERS Genomics, commented: “We are pleased to add StemSight to our family of licensees. This collaboration underscores the growing prominence of Finland, and the Nordics, in the global biotechnology and life science sector. StemSight’s use of CRISPR/Cas9 technology to develop regenerative therapies that will change the lives of patients suffering from limbal stem cell deficiency is truly pioneering.”

ERS Genomics provides licensing to CRISPR/Cas9 technology for companies interested in pursuing its use in their commercial programs. With 89 patents held in over 90 countries, ERS Genomics licenses these patents via its direct license from Emmanuelle Charpentier and now has nearly 150 licenses in place worldwide.

Financial details of the agreement are not disclosed.

About ERS Genomics www.ersgenomics.com

ERS Genomics provides access to the foundational CRISPR/Cas9 CVC intellectual property held by Dr. Emmanuelle Charpentier, a license to which is essential for freedom to operate commercially with CRISPR/Cas9 technology. Non-exclusive licenses are available for research and sale of products and services across multiple fields including research tools, kits and reagents; discovery of novel targets for therapeutic intervention; cell lines for discovery and screening of novel drug candidates; GMP production of healthcare products; companion animal and livestock health; production of industrial materials such as enzymes, biofuels and chemicals; and synthetic biology. For additional information please visit www.ersgenomics.com.

About StemSight www.stemsight.fi

StemSight Oy is a preclinical stage private biotechnology company based in Tampere, Finland. StemSight develops allogeneic induced pluripotent stem cell based therapies for unmet needs in corneal blindness. StemSight’s proprietary technologies in the culture, differentiation and manufacturing of different iPS cell-derived corneal cell types and biomaterials fuel a pipeline of indications from rare to major diseases. StemSight’s lead product is aimed for limbal stem cell defiency, a rare but severe form of corneal blindness mostly affecting young and working-aged people. For more information visit: www.stemsight.fi.