Merck Secures U.S. Patents for Foundational CRISPR-Cas9 Genome Editing Technology

- Related technologies provide more tools for combating difficult-to-treat diseases

- MSD Life Science Division is actively engaged in therapeutic and other applicationsLicensing Activities of CRISPR-Cas9 Technology

- Commit to utilizing genome editing technologies in an ethical manner

Darmstadt, Germany, May 11, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Merck, a leading science and technology company, today announced that two of its patent applications for CRISPR-Cas9-assisted genome editing have been approved in the United States. These patents position Merck to support U.S. scientists and researchers in advancing and safeguarding gene therapy development programs. Merck is actively discussing licensing opportunities for its foundational technologies for therapeutic and other applications, and is seeking partners for research and product development.

Wu Boda, Member of the Executive Committee of Merck and CEO of the Life Science BusinessUdit Batra) stated: “This is significant news for researchers, as CRISPR (Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats)-based DNA cleavage and integration underpin many genome-editing applications and can be leveraged to develop personalized therapies. As a leading innovator in CRISPR technology, we will engage in licensing activities for CRISPR technology to ensure that the full potential of this powerful tool is realized responsibly and ethically across the scientific community. We hope to continue collaborating with academic and industry partners to harness our collective innovation in the fight against the most challenging diseases, thereby helping to improve human health.”

The newly acquired patent covers Merck’s CRISPR-Cas9 cleavage and integration technology, which enables researchers to replace disease-associated mutations with beneficial or functional sequences, or to delete such mutations—commonly referred to as “gene knock-in” and “gene knock-out.” These are critical techniques for creating disease models and developing gene therapies.

The approval of this application marks Merck’s acquisition of its 25th and 26th CRISPR patents globally, as well as its third and fourth CRISPR patents in the United States. Merck has already secured CRISPR patents in Australia, Canada, China, Europe, Israel, Singapore, and South Korea, and has filed related patent applications in Brazil, India, and Japan.

CRISPR technology is a core competency of Merck, which boasts 16 years of experience in genome editing, spanning from discovery to production. The company develops technologies applicable to various genome editing applications, including gene knockout, gene integration, and CRISPR libraries for genetic screening. In February 2019, Merck was granted its first U.S. patent for proxy-CRISPR technology, a platform that enhances the efficiency, flexibility, and specificity of genome editing.

Merck believes that now is the time for key CRISPR intellectual property stakeholders to come together through a patent pool agreement to simplify technology access for companies conducting CRISPR-based research. In July 2019, Merck and the Broad Institute announced a collaborative agreement on CRISPR patent licensing.

Merck believes that genome editing technologies have helped achieve significant advances in biological research and the medical field. At the same time, the development potential of genome editing technologies has raised concerns within the scientific, legal, and social communities. Merck supports conducting genome editing research in compliance with ethical and legal standards. Merck has specifically established an independent externalBioethics Advisory Panel, aimed at providing guidance for the research involved in its business, including research on or use of gene editing, Merck has also developed, established, and publicly released clearPrinciples of Genome Editing Technology, while fully considering scientific and social issues, will not hinder the research and application of any promising therapeutic methods.

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