The United States Patent and Trademark Office granted Merck it’s patent for CRISPR-chrom technology. Now, Merck is the only provider with a patent covering the fusion of chromatin modulating peptides to CRISPR proteins, helping to clear chromatin out of the way, increasing access to the genome.
“This award marks our second US CRISPR patent and our 23rd CRISPR-related patent worldwide, and as a leading innovator of CRISPR technology, we will continue to drive innovation and collaborate with scientists around the world to ensure that they have the most advanced gene-editing options,” said Udit Batra, member of the Merck Executive Board and CEO, Life Science.
Genomic DNA in mammalian cells is wrapped tightly in protein complexes called chromatin, the genomic DNA is often inaccessible to CRISPR. CRISPR-chrom technology works by fusing chromatin modulating peptides to a CRISPR protein, allowing for more efficient gene editing.
Patent portfolio includes granted patents for CRISPR-related technologies covering foundational and alternative genome-editing methods. Patents have been granted in Australia, Canada, China, Europe, Israel, Singapore and South Korea.
CRISPR technology which has 16 years’ experience with genome editing, spanning from discovery to manufacturing, is a core competency for Merck.