CRISPR Therapeutics Receives Grant to Advance In Vivo CRISPR/Cas9 Gene Editing Therapies for HIV

-Funding from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation will support research to enable CRISPR/Cas9-based therapies for HIV that can benefit patients worldwide-

ZUG, Switzerland and CAMBRIDGE, Mass., Dec. 14, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- CRISPR Therapeutics (Nasdaq: CRSP), a biopharmaceutical company focused on creating transformative gene-based medicines for serious diseases, today announced the receipt of a grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to research in vivo gene editing therapies for the treatment of HIV.

“While we have demonstrated the promise of CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing ex vivo in sickle cell disease and beta thalassemia, an in vivo approach to editing hematopoietic stem cells could allow the transformative benefit of CRISPR/Cas9 to reach a broader array of patients, including those in low resource settings that lack sufficient infrastructure for stem cell transplantation,” said Tony Ho, M.D., Executive Vice President and Head of Research & Development at CRISPR Therapeutics. “We look forward to working on new therapies that could contribute to the global effort to reduce the burden of HIV.”

The grant builds upon CRISPR Therapeutics’ proprietary CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing technology and expertise in editing hematopoietic stem cells and contributes to efforts to accelerate transformative medicines for global health.

About CRISPR Therapeutics
CRISPR Therapeutics is a leading gene editing company focused on developing transformative gene-based medicines for serious diseases using its proprietary CRISPR/Cas9 platform. CRISPR/Cas9 is a revolutionary gene editing technology that allows for precise, directed changes to genomic DNA. CRISPR Therapeutics has established a portfolio of therapeutic programs across a broad range of disease areas including hemoglobinopathies, oncology, regenerative medicine and rare diseases. To accelerate and expand its efforts, CRISPR Therapeutics has established strategic partnerships with leading companies including Bayer, Vertex Pharmaceuticals and ViaCyte, Inc. CRISPR Therapeutics AG is headquartered in Zug, Switzerland, with its wholly-owned U.S. subsidiary, CRISPR Therapeutics, Inc., and R&D operations based in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and business offices in San Francisco, California and London, United Kingdom. For more information, please visit www.crisprtx.com.