ERS Genomics and Japan SLC Sign CRISPR/Cas9 License Agreement

Nobel prize winning CRISPR technology to be applied in development of genetically engineered animal models

DUBLIN & SHIZUOKA, Japan--(BUSINESS WIRE)--ERS Genomics Limited, which was formed to provide broad access to the foundational CRISPR/Cas9 intellectual property co-owned by Dr. Emmanuelle Charpentier, and Japan SLC, Inc., a biotechnology company providing animal models to the research community, today announced a non-exclusive license agreement granting Japan SLC access to ERS Genomics’ CRISPR/Cas9 patent portfolio.

Japan SLC supports research organizations by providing animal models from its varied portfolio, including outbred, inbred, immunodeficient, congenic, hybrid, disease models and transgenic. The addition of CRISPR/Cas9 technology to the company’s toolbox will enable the expansion of its offering.

ERS Genomics holds an exclusive worldwide license from co-founder and recent Nobel prize winner Dr. Emmanuelle Charpentier to the foundational intellectual property covering CRISPR/Cas9 for use as a research platform.

“We are proud to add Japan SLC to our growing list of partners in Japan applying CRISPR/Cas9 technology to its service offerings,” said Eric Rhodes, CEO of ERS Genomics. “Japan SLC’s animal production and supply are of high quality, and we are very pleased that it has chosen to license CRISPR/Cas9 technology through ERS Genomics.”

“Our production and supply of laboratory animals will benefit greatly through the use of the revolutionary CRISPR/Cas9 technology,” commented Hirotaka Takagi, President, Japan SLC. “We are very excited to sign this licensing agreement with ERS Genomics which will enable us to produce CRISPR-edited mouse and rat models.”

Financial details of the agreement are not disclosed.