UK spin-out licenses CRISPR

University of Cambridge spin-out DefiniGEN has licensed CRISPR-Cas9 gene-editing technology from Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard in the USA, to develop human cell disease models.

The technology will be combined with DefiniGEN’s induced Pluripotent Stem Cell (iPSC) differentiation platform to generate preclinical cell models which can accelerate Type 2 diabetes, non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), and orphan liver disease drug discovery programmes.

“Through our license with Broad Institute, we are pleased to be able to enhance our customer’s research programs by offering state-of-the-art CRISPR-Cas9 gene edited disease model cell products and custom services,” commented Dr Marcus Yeo CEO of DefiniGEN.

DefiniGEN will produce CRISPR-Cas9 gene edited cells, enabling their customers to exploit the power of genome editing, alongside world-leading stem cell production and disease modelling capabilities. DefiniGEN was founded to commercialise OptiDIFF, a stem cell production platform developed at the University of Cambridge. The Company has expertise in the area of iPSC-derived human cell production and metabolic disease modelling. The application of these technologies in drug discovery provides pharmaceutical companies with more predictive in vitro cell products enabling the development of safer and more effective therapeutics.