Editas Medicine Regains Full Global Rights to Ocular Medicines

CAMBRIDGE, Mass., Aug. 06, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Editas Medicine, Inc. (Nasdaq: EDIT), a leading genome editing company, today announced it has regained full global rights to research, develop, manufacture, and commercialize its ocular medicines, including EDIT-101 for the treatment of Leber congenital amaurosis 10, which were previously shared within a strategic research and development alliance with Allergan, which has since been acquired by AbbVie. Editas Medicine and AbbVie have terminated the original agreement and entered into a new agreement.

“Allergan has been an excellent partner in helping advance EDIT-101 and our pipeline of gene editing medicines for people living with serious ocular diseases,” said Cynthia Collins, Chief Executive Officer, Editas Medicine. “We are pleased to regain full operating control of our ocular programs, including EDIT-101, the first in vivo CRISPR medicine to be administered to patients, and we look forward to developing and commercializing these transformative ocular medicines.”

Collins continued, “We are currently focused on advancing EDIT-101 with dosing resumed in the Phase 1/2 BRILLIANCE clinical trial. We remain on track to complete dosing of the adult low-dose cohort and to dose at least one patient of the adult mid-dose cohort by the end of this year. We look forward to sharing additional updates from BRILLIANCE clinical trial and other medicines in development in our ocular program later this year.”

J.P. Morgan Securities LLC is serving as exclusive financial advisor to Editas Medicine.

About Editas Medicine
As a leading genome editing company, Editas Medicine is focused on translating the power and potential of the CRISPR/Cas9 and CRISPR/Cas12a (also known as Cpf1) genome editing systems into a robust pipeline of treatments for people living with serious diseases around the world. Editas Medicine aims to discover, develop, manufacture, and commercialize transformative, durable, precision genomic medicines for a broad class of diseases. For the latest information and scientific presentations, please visit www.editasmedicine.com.

About EDIT-101
EDIT-101 is a CRISPR-based experimental medicine under investigation for the treatment of Leber congenital amaurosis 10 (LCA10). EDIT-101 is administered via a subretinal injection using the proprietary Staphylococcus aureus Cas9 (SaCas9) enzyme, which can be packaged in a single adeno-associated virus (AAV) to deliver the gene editing machinery to photoreceptor cells. EDIT-101 is the first in vivo CRISPR medicine administered to humans.

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, including the Company’s expectations regarding the timing of dosing in and updates related to the Phase 1/2 BRILLIANCE clinical trial. 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 pre-clinical studies and clinical trials and clinical development of the Company’s product candidates; availability and timing of results from pre-clinical 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 Securities and Exchange Commission, and in other filings that the Company may make with the Securities and Exchange Commission in the future.  Any forward-looking statements contained in this press release represent the Company’s views only as of the date hereof and should not be relied upon as representing its views as of any subsequent date. Except as required by law, the Company explicitly disclaims any obligation to update any forward-looking statements.

Contacts:
Media
Cristi Barnett
(617) 401-0113
cristi.barnett@editasmed.com

Investors
Mark Mullikin
(617) 401-9083
mark.mullikin@editasmed.com

Source: Editas Medicine, Inc.