Bayer’s CRISPR venture opens for business in biotech hub
pharmafile | August 23, 2016 | News story | Manufacturing and Production, Research and Development | Bayer, casebia, crispr, gene editing, gene-editing
Bayer and CRISPR Therapeutics have joined together to launch Casebia Therapeutics and have chosen Cambridge, Massachusetts, as its base to try and discover, develop and commercialise revolutionary new therapies using the innovative gene-editing technology, CRISPR.
The pair announcement their partnership in late 2015, before closing the transaction in Q1 2016. That partnership has now launched as Casebia Therapeutics, which will be a UK entity with its main research operations in the biotech hub of Massachusetts.
The name derives from the CRISPR-associated, or Cas, family of nuclease enzymes which play a key role in the gene-editing technology that Casebia will attempt to develop new treatments with. The technology itself attempts to allow for precise, directed changes to genomic DNA in order to repair or replace defective DNA and eradicate disease.
Over 80 employees will occupy 33,000 sq ft of laboratory and office space, where the team of researchers will attempt to discover new breakthrough therapeutics to cure blood disorders, blindness and congenital heart disease.
Dr Axel Bouchon, interim CEO of Casebia, says: “We are excited to engage the broader life science community in Boston now through Casebia. As we establish and grow Casebia’s therapeutic programmes, this new location will provide us with state-of-the-art infrastructure, access to the vibrant biotech environment of the Kendall Square area, and facilitate close collaboration with CRISPR Therapeutics.”
Sean Murray
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