Horizon Discovery broadens gene editing capabilities through extension of key CRISPR license and grant-funded research

Horizon Discovery has broadened its gene editing capabilities through the amendment of a pre-existing license with ERS Genomics to include the full commercial rights for the use of Crispr edited cell lines for the Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) manufacturing of biotherapeutics. 

With this license amendment, Horizon now adds the right to use Crispr edited cell lines in GMP biomanufacturing.  Through the recently signed global agreement between key Crispr IP holders (Crispr Therapeutics, Intellia Therapeutics, Caribou Biosciences and ERS Genomics), this license now includes consents from all the patent co-owners and thereby provides Horizon with worldwide freedom to operate with respect to this foundational intellectual property. Financial terms of the amendment were not disclosed.

Horizon has also entered into a two-year collaboration with Solentim Ltd for the development of an automated manufacturing platform for the genome editing of mammalian cells. The project is being funded by Innovate UK, the UK’s-innovation-agency, under the Collaborative Research in Manufacturing and Materials scheme for a total of £764,300, of which Horizon will receive £523,000. The aim of this project is to establish new and innovative approaches for the manufacture of high-value, genome-edited, cell lines at a greater throughput and at a significantly reduced cost, said the company.

Dr. Darrin Disley, Chief Executive Officer, Horizon Discovery, commented: “Gene editing underpins Horizon’s operations, enabling us to be the go-to industry ‘Cell Builders’. Through the extension of our Crispr license with ERS Genomics, we now have a deeper toolbox of gene editing options, which includes our exclusive rAAV technology, to apply to the generation of GMP biomanufacturing cell lines. Bioproduction was only a small part of Horizon’s portfolio at the time of our IPO, however the business has since outperformed expectations, becoming a significant source of growth and is an important part of our business plan going forward.”

Dr. Disley further commented collaboration with Solentim: “Our grant-funded collaboration with Solentim has the potential to have a major impact on the rate and cost of cell line development for Horizon, further strengthening our competitive market position, and accelerating the move from customer-performed cell line development to a fully outsourced model, similar to what has occurred in the research antibody market.”