Sangamo BioSciences and Sigma-Aldrich Announce Research and License Agreement with Roche
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Sigma-Aldrich Corporation and Sangamo BioSciences, Inc. announced a research and license agreement to provide Roche with non-exclusive, worldwide rights for the use of its proprietary zinc finger nuclease (ZFN) technology to develop cell-lines and transgenic animals that have targeted modifications in a specified gene in a specified species.
Roche also has an option to obtain an exclusive, worldwide license for the commercial use of such ZFN-generated transgenic animals in the production of therapeutic and diagnostic products.
The research phase of the agreement will be conducted in collaboration with both Sangamo and Sigma-Aldrich, Sangamo's exclusive licensee of ZFN technology for high-value research reagents.
"There is growing appreciation of the value of ZFN technology as a rapid, reliable and highly specific tool for modifying genes in eukaryotic cells and whole organisms," said David Smoller, Ph.D., President of Sigma-Aldrich's Research Biotech Business Unit.
"We are excited to be working with Sangamo to provide Roche with high-value ZFN reagents for the generation of transgenic animals. ZFN technology promises to enable the generation of a variety of transgenic models of human disease, expediting drug development and production."
"Roche is a leading global healthcare company with an established reputation of innovation. We are pleased to provide them with our ZFN technology which provides a cutting-edge approach for disease research," said Edward Lanphier, Sangamo's President and Chief Executive Officer.
"The frequency and precision of ZFN-mediated genome editing, in combination with the ability to design ZFNs against potentially any gene, opens up the possibility of more easily generated transgenic animals of any species."
Zinc finger DNA-binding proteins (ZFPs) are the dominant class of naturally occurring transcription factors in organisms from yeast to humans. Transcription factors, which are found in the nucleus of every cell, bind to DNA to regulate gene expression. Though there are many kinds of transcription factors, only ZFPs are amenable to engineering and precise targeting of a particular gene or genes of interest. ZFNs are engineered forms of ZFPs that also contain a nuclease component which can facilitate modification of a target gene of interest.