Cellectis Presents Novel TALEN Editing Processes Enabling Highly Efficient Gene Correction and Gene Insertion in HSPCs

• This novel editing approach might unlock new strategies for the treatment of metabolic and neurological diseases
  
  
• Non-viral circular ssDNA delivery associated to TALEN gene editing allows high levels of gene insertion in long-term repopulating HSPCs
  

NEW YORK, April 22, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Cellectis (the “Company”) (Euronext Growth: ALCLS - NASDAQ:  CLLS), a clinical-stage biotechnology company using its pioneering gene-editing platform to develop life-saving cell and gene therapies, will present first data exploring novel TALEN editing processes in hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPCs) at the American Society of Gene and Cell Therapy (ASGCT) being held on May 7-11, 2024.

“These two posters showcase the potential and versatility of the TALEN technology to promote efficient gene insertion in HSPCs. We show that circular single strand DNA templates can be efficiently delivered to HSPCs and enable unprecedented efficiency of gene insertion without compromising the viability, fitness and differentiation capacity of edited cells” commented Julien Valton, Ph.D., Vice President of Gene Therapy at Cellectis.

“We also illustrate a novel TALEN mediated-DNA template insertion approach that rewires the natural ability of myeloid cells to cross the blood brain barrier to efficiently vectorize a genetically encoded-therapeutic protein to the brain. This approach is, by essence, versatile and could be used to vectorize an array of therapeutic proteins to the brain and potentially address multiple neurological disorders.”

Poster presentation: Intron Editing of HSPC Enables Lineage-Specific Expression of Therapeutics 

Gene therapy using edited hematopoietic and progenitor stem cells (HSPCs) has the potential to provide a lifelong supply of genetically encoded therapeutics.

Today, most therapies are impacted with the difficulty to cross the blood-brain barrier (BBB). The BBB is a continuous endothelial membrane that, along with pericytes and other components of the neurovascular unit, limits the entry of toxins, pathogens, protein and small molecules to the brain.

Cellectis has developed a TALEN mediated promoter-less intron editing technology that enables the expression of a therapeutic transgene exclusively by monocyte derived from edited HSPCs.

The edited cells containing genetically encoded therapeutic proteins have the capacity to cross the blood-brain barrier and secrete the corresponding therapeutic within the brain.