SNIPR Biome Granted New US Patent Covering Lytic CRISPR Phage
Copenhagen, August 2nd, 2022: SNIPR Biome ApS (or “the Company”), a clinical-stage biotechnology company developing CRISPR-based precision medicines, announces today the grant of patent number US11,400,110 by the US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), further strengthening its intellectual property portfolio which now contains more than 20 granted patentsin the USA and Europe for editing prokaryotes using CRISPR/Cas.
SNIPR Biome has exclusive, worldwide rights to this patent estate for medical applications, which supports the company’s pipeline and lead program (SNIPR001), a CRISPR-armed bacteriophage cocktail that targets the prevention of antibiotic-resistant E. coli infections in hematological cancer patients. This experimental medicine is currently in clinical trials in the United States. SNIPR Biome is the first company to orally dose humans with a CRISPR therapeutic and SNIPR001 has been granted Fast-Track designation by the FDA.
SNIPR001 is being developed in collaboration with the US nonprofit organization CARB-X. The new patent covers lytic phage armed with CRISPR gene editing systems. CRISPR and phage lysis of target bacteria is a potent combination for therapeutics, and the patent includes the use of any CRISPR system, for example, Cas9, Cas3, or any other Cas nuclease. It has broad applications, including the targeting of any bacteria for any medical use.
SNIPR has developed a technology platform that uses CRISPR/Cas to precisely target and edit prokaryotes without harming patient cells. The new patent adds to the company’s extensive patent estate protecting this technology, including granted patent number US10,920,222 with a fundamental scope protecting fast and durable action of CRISPR targeting in E coli. This patent has been upheld several times by the USPTO despite re-examination proceedings instigated by third parties.
Dr Christian Grøndahl, Co-founder and CEO of SNIPR Biome, commented: “We are very pleased that the USPTO has granted this new patent, as it recognizes the continued pioneering work by SNIPR scientists as innovators of CRISPR/Cas editing of prokaryotes. Our broad patent estate underpins our clinical development program, which is focused on developing a CRISPR-based medicine for the benefit of patients suffering with life-threatening diseases.”
About SNIPR BIOME SNIPR Biome is a clinical stage company developing precision medicines for vulnerable patients with difficult-to-treat conditions. We are pioneering a novel use of CRISPR/Cas technology to better treat and prevent human diseases through precision killing of bacteria or gene modification. SNIPR Biome is a leader in this transformational area of science, with a clinical trial underway, strong IP, and a diverse and experienced team. We are the first company to orally dose humans with a CRISPR therapeutic and the first company to have been granted a patent for the use of CRISPR for targeting microbiomes. In addition, SNIPR has developed a platform that uses CRISPR technology to achieve gutdirected gene therapy. SNIPR is headquartered in Copenhagen, Denmark. For more details, visit www.sniprbiome.com and follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.