SEOUL, South Korea, Jan. 26, 2023 /PRNewswire/ — GenKOre, Inc., a Korea-based biotech company with hypercompact┬áCRISPR-Cas tools,┬áannounced that it has┬áentered into┬áa┬ástrategic research collaboration with a US-based┬ábiopharma┬ácompany for the development of┬áin vivo┬ágene┬áediting┬átherapies. This┬ácollaboration will utilize┬áGenKOre’s┬áproprietary┬áCRISPR-Cas┬áplatform,┬áTaRGET┬á(Tiny nuclease,┬áaugment┬áRNA-based┬áGenome┬áEditing┬áTechnology). The┬áTaRGET┬áplatform is distinct from the most popular┬ágenome editing technology,┬áCRISPR-Cas9,┬áin that the whole editing module can be delivered with a single AAV vector. Based on┬átheir┬áTaRGET platform,┬áGenKOre┬áhas developed different┬ámodalities┬áof editing tools including┬áTaRGET-CUT,┬áTaRGET-Adenine Base Editing (ABE),┬áTaRGET-AI (Gene Activation and Inhibition system).┬áand┬áTaRGET-FREE┬á(Gene knock-in)┬á.┬á
“This collaboration reflects the strength and┬ápotential┬áutility of┬áTaRGET┬áplatform in the application of┬áin vivo┬ágene-editing therapy”, said Yong-Sam Kim, CEO┬áof┬áGenKOre. “Not only will this collaboration provide an opportunity to validate the applicability of┬áTaRGET┬áplatform to┬áin vivo┬átherapy, but we will also expand the utility of our technologies to a wider spectrum of rare diseases.” The collaboration┬áwas┬ábuilt on the mutual┬áinterest┬áin┬áforging transformative therapeutics for patients with rare diseases.┬á
Under the terms of the agreement, GenKOre will receive up to 300 million USD including an upfront, option exercise fees and milestone payments upon successful achievement of R&D and commercial milestones across two in vivo disease targets. In addition, GenKOre will receive research funding and tiered royalties up to a double-digit percentage of net sales. 
SOURCE GenKOre
