Under the terms of the agreement, Sangamo is expected to provide a worldwide, fully paid, perpetual, royalty free, non-exclusive, license for the use of certain ZFP Nuclease (ZFN) reagents for the elimination of the Glutamine Synthetase (GS) gene in Pfizer’s Chinese Hamster Ovary (CHO) cell lines and to use such ZFN-modified CHO cells for clinical and commercial production of therapeutic protein products. Sangamo will receive an upfront payment of $3m from Pfizer which constitutes full and complete payment for the license.
The license may not be sublicensed although Pfizer may transfer any GS ZFN-modified CHO cell line to a contract manufacturer solely for such contract manufacturer to manufacture Pfizer’s therapeutic proteins for Pfizer.
Edward Lanphier, president and CEO of Sangamo, said: We are very pleased to establish this non-exclusive, commercial protein production license providing Pfizer with the right to use ZFNs to eliminate the GS gene in CHO cells, a widely used selection marker for the generation of cell lines used for the production of recombinant protein pharmaceuticals and monoclonal antibodies.