Editas Medicine Reports on Recent Progress and Announces “EM22” Five-year Goals at J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference
By the end of 2022, Company expects to have three experimental medicines in early-stage clinical trials and two experimental medicines in or ready for late-stage clinical trials
Announces first acquisition with purchase of certain assets from i2 Pharmaceuticals and its affiliates, further strengthening Editas’ guide RNA chemistry capabilities and intellectual property
Provides updates on advancements in ocular and engineered cell medicine programs
As part of EM22, by year-end 2022
- Three experimental medicines in early-stage clinical trials;
- Two experimental medicines in or ready for late-stage clinical trials;
- A best-in-class platform and pipeline for developing genomic medicines; and
- All of these achievements fueled by the Company’s unique culture.
These goals build on Editas Medicine’s current success and on the breadth of the Company’s platform to make genome editing medicines. The EM22 goals include delivering at least two experimental medicines in ophthalmology and at least one from the collaboration with
“At Editas Medicine, we have a bold vision for the future. The next five years represents an extraordinary opportunity to harness the power of genome editing, engineered cell therapy, and gene delivery to advance precision genomic medicines for people living with serious diseases. EM22 sets our course with ambitious, but achievable goals. With our current momentum and strategic focus, I expect our clinical pipeline in 2022 will be just the beginning of a robust and sustainable portfolio of transformative medicines,” said Bosley. “Building on our recent successes, we have tremendous momentum towards our short- and long-term goals with the ultimate vision of transforming the lives of patients through genome editing medicines.”
In addition to unveiling EM22, Ms. Bosley will also discuss several components of the Company’s recent progress, including:
Bringing transformative medicines to patients
Continued Commitment to Ocular Disorders
- The Company’s Leber Congenital Amaurosis type 10 (LCA10) program remains on track for an Investigational New Drug (IND) application filing with the
FDA for EDIT-101 in mid-2018. - Two additional programs in early research for the treatment of recurrent ocular herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) infection and Usher Syndrome type 2a (USH2a). The Company is reporting today that it has achieved proof-of-concept in vivo in rabbits for its HSV-1 program, and the Company entered into a strategic research agreement with Massachusetts Eye and Ear to validate its therapeutic approach in USH2a.
Important progress in engineered cell medicines
- Reported recent advances in the Company’s collaboration with Juno at multiple medical and scientific conferences, including an engineered T Cell receptor (TCR) candidate for human papillomavirus (HPV)-associated solid tumors.
- Advanced exploration of a unique and potentially superior therapy for sickle cell disease and beta-thalassemia with recent data demonstrating efficient targeted integration at the beta-hemoglobin locus with CRISPR/Cas9 and efficient on target editing of adult human hematopoietic stem cells with CRISPR/Cpf1.
Building a Sustainable and Valued Business
Editas Medicine has agreed to acquire i2 Pharmaceuticals’ assets and capabilities for guide RNA engineering and manufacturing. This acquisition is expected to further enableEditas Medicine to develop best-in-class CRISPR medicines with the addition of world class RNA chemistry capabilities and proprietary classes of gRNAs with distinct intellectual property. The acquisition is subject to customary closing conditions and is expected to close in the first quarter of 2018.
Advancing Organizational Excellence
- The Company will add key talent in medical affairs, manufacturing, and ophthalmology, and ex vivo research in 2018. This expertise is critical to the continued advancement of Editas Medicine’s platform and pipeline.
About
As a leading genome editing company,
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements and information within the meaning of The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. The words ‘‘anticipate,’’ ‘‘believe,’’ ‘‘continue,’’ ‘‘could,’’ ‘‘estimate,’’ ‘‘expect,’’ ‘‘intend,’’ ‘‘may,’’ ‘‘plan,’’ ‘‘potential,’’ ‘‘predict,’’ ‘‘project,’’ ‘‘target,’’ ‘‘should,’’ ‘‘would,’’ and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements, although not all forward-looking statements contain these identifying words. Forward-looking statements in this press release include statements regarding the Company’s goal of submitting of an IND for the LCA10 program by mid-2018, the Company’s five-year goals, and closing the i2 Pharmaceuticals transaction. The Company may not actually achieve the plans, intentions, or expectations disclosed in these forward-looking statements, and you should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. Actual results or events could differ materially from the plans, intentions and expectations disclosed in these forward-looking statements as a result of various factors, including: uncertainties inherent in the initiation and completion of preclinical studies and clinical trials and clinical development of the Company’s product candidates; availability and timing of results from preclinical studies and clinical trials; whether interim results from a clinical trial will be predictive of the final results of the trial or the results of future trials; expectations for regulatory approvals to conduct trials or to market products and availability of funding sufficient for the Company’s foreseeable and unforeseeable operating expenses and capital expenditure requirements. These and other risks are described in greater detail under the caption “Risk Factors” included in the Company’s most recent Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, which is on file with the
Contacts:
Media
(617) 401-0113
cristi.barnett@editasmed.com
Investors
(617) 401-9083
mark.mullikin@editasmed.com
Source: Editas Medicine, Inc.