Scribe Therapeutics Inc., the company focused on engineering the most advanced platform for CRISPR-based genetic medicine, announced a research collaboration with Biogen Inc. to develop and commercialize CRISPR-based therapies that address an underlying genetic cause of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS).
Scribe’s platform is focused on engineering, delivering, and developing novel, custom CRISPR molecules. The company’s first technology, X-Editing (XE), provides greater editing activity, specificity and deliverability than other CRISPR genome editing tools currently available.
“Scribe has designed, engineered and tested thousands of evolved CRISPR enzymes to build an advanced platform for creating breakthrough in vivo treatments,” said Benjamin Oakes, CEO and co-founder of Scribe Therapeutics. “We’re proud to collaborate with Biogen and apply our uniquely customized approaches with the goal of developing new, safe and effective genetic medicines for neurodegenerative disease.”
Under the terms of the collaboration, Scribe will work with Biogen to create therapeutics for genetically-driven ALS, with an option to pursue an additional neurological disease target with high, unmet need. Scribe will receive $15 million upfront and is eligible for more than $400 million in potential development and commercial milestone payments between the two targets of interest. Scribe is also eligible to receive tiered, high single digit to sub-teen royalties.