Bayer and CRISPR Therapeutics to ally on genetic disease research

Bayer and CRISPR Therapeutics are developing a new joint venture aimed at finding new approaches to the treatment of serious genetic disease.

The joint venture will be based in London and will focus on the discovery, development and commercialisation of new breakthrough therapeutics to cure blood disorders, blindness and congenital heart disease.

CRISPR Therapeutics will contribute its proprietary CRISPR-Cas9 gene-editing technology and intellectual property, while Bayer will make its protein engineering expertise and relevant disease knowhow available.

This represents the first long-term strategic partnership of its kind to make a substantial investment in the development of target delivery innovations to bring systemic in vivo CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing technology applications to patients.

Bayer may also secure exclusive rights to use CRISPR Therapeutics' and the joint venture's proprietary CRISPR-Cas9 technology and intellectual property in the three targeted disease areas through this deal.

Dr Marijn Dekkers, chief executive officer of Bayer, said: "Bayer and CRISPR Therapeutics are philosophically and financially aligned in our mission to develop game-changing or possibly curative treatments for serious human genetic diseases."