Benzinga | Oct 19, 2021 09:07AM EDT

Sana Biotechnology Says Obtains Non-Exclusive License To CRISPR Cas12b Gene Editing Technology From Beam Therapeutics To Enable Engineered Cell Programs

Sana Biotechnology, Inc. (NASDAQ:SANA), a company focused on creating and delivering engineered cells as medicines, today announced that the company entered into an agreement with Beam Therapeutics Inc. (NASDAQ:BEAM) for non-exclusive commercial rights to Beam's CRISPR Cas12b nuclease system for certain ex vivo engineered cell therapy programs.



Cas12b is a CRISPR-based nuclease with a high degree of specificity and efficiency that can be used to knock out and/or knock in genes in certain cell types. Under the agreement, Beam granted Sana non-exclusive rights to utilize its Cas12b system with certain allogeneic T cell and stem cell-derived programs, including the ability to make gene edits for Sana's hypoimmune platform. The license does not include any rights to base editing using Cas12b, which remain at Beam.

"Gene editing technology is a key component in developing engineered cells as medicines, and we are pleased to have the ability to use the Cas12b system as part of a number of our ex vivo engineered cell programs," said Steve Harr, Sana's President and CEO. "The specificity and efficiency of Cas12b make it appealing for Sana's allogeneic T cell as well as gene-edited pluripotent stem cell programs. We intend to incorporate this platform into multiple product candidates, with the first IND filed as early as next year."

Under the terms of the agreement, Sana agreed to pay Beam an upfront payment of $50 million. Beam is also eligible to receive certain target option exercise fees, certain milestone payments upon the achievement of certain development and sales milestones, and certain royalties on net sales of royalty-bearing products by Sana, its affiliates, its sublicensees and affiliates of its sublicensees.