With this agreement, IRBM will be able to leverage CRISPR/Cas9 technology to advance its drug discovery processes.
The editing technology will also be integrated into the comprehensive drug discovery services of IRBM.
IRBM, a contract research organisation (CRO) specialising in drug discovery, has expertise in various therapeutic areas, including oncology, infectious diseases, and neuroscience.
The company has a track record of contributing to the discovery and development of four marketed drugs for diseases such as HCV, ovarian cancer, HIV and cutaneous T-cell lymphoma.
ERS Genomics offers access to its CRISPR/Cas9 technology for various companies to facilitate use for their commercial programmes.
The company’s patent portfolio, licensed from co-inventor Emmanuelle Charpentier, includes over 100 patents worldwide.
These patents cover the use of CRISPR/Cas9 in a broad range of cells, from mammalian to microorganisms like bacteria and yeasts.
IRBM CSO Carlo Toniatti said: “We are committed to delivering high quality drugs by leveraging our broad range of expertise and capabilities across the entire preclinical drug discovery continuum.
“With the integration of CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing technology we are increasing our capability to identify and validate potential drug targets, to generate more predictive pre-clinical models and to elucidate the mechanisms of action of novel therapeutics.”
The companies did not disclose the financial terms of the deal.
ERS Genomics CEO John Milad said: “We are committed to supporting cutting-edge research and expanding the horizons of medical innovation by providing companies such as IRBM with the ability to take advantage of CRISPR/Cas9 technology.
“We look forward to seeing the innovative ways in which our gene editing technology will be utilised in various stages of drug discovery, providing candidates for a wide range of therapeutic areas.”