BASEL, Switzerland, June 19, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- CRISPR Therapeutics (NASDAQ:CRSP), a biopharmaceutical company focused on creating transformative gene-based medicines for serious diseases, announced that China’s State Intellectual Property Office (“SIPO”) has granted a patent broadly covering CRISPR’s in-licensed gene editing technology. The claims are directed to CRISPR/Cas9 single-guide gene editing methods for modifying target DNA in both non-cellular and cellular settings, including in cells from vertebrate animals such as human or mammalian cells – as well as composition of matter and system claims for use in any setting, including claims for use in producing medicines for treating disease.

“Following recent grants in Europe and the United Kingdom, we’re pleased to see the expansion of our portfolio of foundational CRISPR/Cas gene editing cases globally with the decision by the Chinese Intellectual Property Office, recognizing the broad applicability of our underlying patent applications for uses in all settings, including in human and other eukaryotic cells,” said Dr. Tyler Dylan-Hyde, Chief Legal Officer of CRISPR Therapeutics AG.

The European Patent Office and the United Kingdom’s Intellectual Property Office have previously issued patents from the underlying international patent application. This application is based on the same U.S. priority application that has been involved in an interference proceeding with the Broad et al., which priority application (USSN 61/652086) was filed on May 25, 2012, on behalf of CRISPR’s co-founder Dr. Emmanuelle Charpentier (currently a director at the Max-Planck Institute in Berlin) along with the Regents of the University of California (the assignee of Jennifer Doudna and colleagues) and the University of Vienna (the assignee of Krzysztof Chylinski).

About CRISPR TherapeuticsCRISPR Therapeutics is a leading gene-editing company focused on developing transformative gene-based medicines for serious diseases using its proprietary CRISPR/Cas9 gene-editing platform. CRISPR/Cas9 is a revolutionary technology that allows for precise, directed changes to genomic DNA. The Company's multi-disciplinary team of world-class researchers and drug developers is working to translate this technology into breakthrough human therapeutics in a number of serious diseases. Additionally, CRISPR Therapeutics has established strategic collaborations with Bayer AG and Vertex Pharmaceuticals to develop CRISPR-based therapeutics in diseases with high unmet need. The foundational CRISPR/Cas9 patent estate for human therapeutic use was licensed from the Company's scientific founder Dr. Emmanuelle Charpentier. CRISPR Therapeutics is headquartered in Basel, Switzerland, with offices in London, United Kingdom, and R&D operations in Cambridge, Massachusetts. For more information, please visit www.crisprtx.com.

Source: http://ir.crisprtx.com/phoenix.zhtml?c=254376&p=irol-newsArticle&ID=2281551