The Institut Pasteur and Cellectis extend exclusive license rights by granting genOway the authority to take action against infringement

The research models developed using Homologous Recombination Technology (such as those protected by US patents US6528313, US6638768, and US6528314 deposited by the Institut Pasteur) are essential tools for pharmaceutical research.

Due to its knowledge of the needs of preclinical programs, as well as its exclusive rights on this patent portfolio granted in 2014, genOway is the best partner to enable the industry to benefit most from this technology while ensuring fair remuneration of its exploitation.

Lyon (France) and Paris (France), October 30, 2019, 4:30 PM EDT – The Institut Pasteur, a non-profit foundation with recognized charitable status and an internationally renowned center of biomedical research, Cellectis, a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on developing immunotherapies based on allogeneic gene-edited CAR T-cells (UCART), and genOway, a public company leader in conceiving and developing genetically modified research models, announce the extension of genOway's exclusive rodent license to the patent portfolio of Homologous Recombination, granted in 2014, to allow genOway to take action to protect against infringement.

The patent portfolio of Homologous Recombination (US 6528313, US6638768, and US6528314) enables the development of research models essential for both target validation and preclinical evaluation of drug candidates. Indeed, its most important application is to humanize targets in animal models in order to study the activity, specificity and safety of drug candidates, from small molecules to therapeutic antibodies. This is achieved through the interaction between the drug candidate and the human protein, thus mimicking what naturally occurs in the patient.

The scientific value of these models is important and, as such, it deserves fair remuneration. The extension of the rights granted to genOway enables the latter to act against infringement from this day and up to six years after the end of the patent, i.e., 2026.

“We are delighted to strengthen our relationships with Cellectis and the Institut Pasteur. These new rights will enable us to serve our customers better, and guarantee a fair valorization of the applications of our partnerships with the Institut Pasteur and Cellectis,” says Alexandre Fraichard, founder and Chief Executive Officer of genOway.

“Cellectis has always paid particular attention to intellectual property rights and we wish to help genOway, our exclusive licensee for the past five years, do the same. This transfer of rights provides genOway the potential to develop more resources and sell this technology, while protecting themselves against infringement,” says Dr André Choulika, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Cellectis.

“The technologies and innovations developed by the research teams of the Institut Pasteur are meant to benefit the entire scientific community. However, it is also important that a fair valorization is received for the applications we invented in the past, as these revenues are essential to our current research programs. We support genOway and we will continue to do so, as it is our exclusive licensee of this technology for animal models,” says Dr Isabelle Buckle, Director of Research Applications and Industrial Relations at the Institut Pasteur.