Bayer and ERS signed a patent license agreement whereby Bayer gains access to ERS' CRISPR-Cas9 genome-editing patents for certain cross-divisional applications in Bayer's core strategic areas. ERS Genomics holds rights to the CRISPR-Cas9 patent portfolio from Dr. Emmanuelle Charpentier, an inventor of gene-editing technology.

The licensing agreement is an investment by the Bayer Lifescience Center (BLSC), which recently created a joint venture with CRISPR Therapeutics to discover, develop and commercialize new b therapeutics to cure blood disorders, blindness, and congenital heart disease. The BLSC has the mission to uncover, encourage and unlock fundamental scientific and medical breakthroughs more rapidly by enabling innovative partnerships with entrepreneurial best-in-class biotechnology companies.

Source: Bayer