Cellectis Secures Early CRISPR Intellectual Property Rights for Plant Uses

Cellectis Plant Sciences, Inc. has secured exclusive worldwide rights for specific uses of CRISPR technology in plants through a new license agreement. The agreement was made with the Regents of the University of Minnesota and grants Cellectis access to patented technology for plant genome engineering.

The license pertains to the patent family WO/2014/144155, titled “Engineering Plant Genomes Using CRISPR/Cas Systems.” This technology, developed in the laboratory of Professor Dan Voytas at the University of Minnesota, enables targeted modification of plant genomes. It complements Cellectis' existing intellectual property in gene editing, including meganuclease and TALEN™ technologies.

Cellectis Plant Sciences is focused on developing healthier food products. The acquisition of these CRISPR patent rights strengthens the company's position in the gene editing field and supports its efforts to develop new plant varieties.

The agreement was announced on April 15, 2015, with Cellectis Plant Sciences based in New Brighton, Minnesota, USA. Financial terms of the exclusive license were not disclosed.