NEWS

Canadian Patent Office approves Merck's CRISPR patent application

Release time:

2017-11-06 14:56

The patent to be granted in Canada is entitled "CRISPR-BASED GENOME MODIFICATION AND REGULATION" (CRISPR-based genome modification and management), which involves chromosomal integration, or cutting of chromosomal sequences in eukaryotic cells (such as mammalian and plant cells) and the use of CRISPR to implant external/donor DNA sequences into eukaryotic cells. Scientists are thus able to replace disease-associated mutations with beneficial or useful sequences, an approach that is important for the development of disease models and gene therapies. In addition, scientists can use this method to implant transgenes that can mark endogenous proteins for visual tracking in cells.

Once approved, the Canadian patent will expand the protection of Merck's CRISPR integration technology for the first time in North America, further strengthening the company's patent portfolio. The Australian Patent Office (Australian Patent Office) granted Merck's first CRISPR patent in June 2017, followed by the European Patent Office in September 2017.

CRISPR genome editing technology enables precise transformation of living cell chromosomes, advancing the development of treatment options for some of the most serious medical conditions facing today. CRISPR has a wide range of applications, from identifying genes associated with cancer and rare diseases to reversing blinding mutations.

With a 12-year history in genome editing, Merck was the first company to offer customized biomolecules for genome editing on a global scale, driving the adoption of these technologies by researchers worldwide. Merck is also the first company to create a library of clustered CRISPR sequences covering the entire human genome, allowing scientists to explore more questions about the root causes of diseases and thus speed the process of curing them.

In May 2017, Merck announced that the company had developed proxy-CRISPR of the alternative CRISPR genome editing methods. Unlike other systems, Merck's proxy-CRISPR technology cuts into previously inaccessible areas of cells, making CRISPR more efficient, flexible and specific, and giving researchers more experimental options. Merck has filed several patent applications for its proxy-CRISPR technology, and these are just the latest of many CRISPR patent applications the company has filed since 2012.

Merck recognizes that there is great potential for rational research using genome editing because of its breakthrough therapeutic potential. Therefore, Merck supports research on genome editing with careful consideration of ethical and legal standards. As a result, Merck has formed the Merck Bioethics Advisory Panel (Merck Bioethics Advisory Panel) to provide guidance on research conducted by Merck, including the study or use of genome editing.

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