EMERYVILLE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Metagenomi, a gene editing company, today announced that it has received an award from the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation to identify and evaluate novel gene editing systems for the development of therapeutics to treat cystic fibrosis.

“Cystic fibrosis is a complex, chronic genetic disease and there remains a significant unmet need for new therapies to help patients,” said Brian C. Thomas, Ph.D., Co-Founder and CEO of Metagenomi. “Metagenomi’s gene editing capabilities are transformational and could provide opportunities for gene editing-based therapeutics that are not possible with other systems. We are committed to leveraging our advanced gene editing toolbox for therapeutic applications across disease areas, including cystic fibrosis, and we look forward to collaborating with the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation to broaden therapeutic options for patients.”

Cystic fibrosis is a progressive, genetic disease that causes persistent lung infections and limits the ability to breathe over time. In cystic fibrosis patients, mutations in the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) gene cause the CFTR protein to become dysfunctional.

According to the terms of the award, Metagenomi will work to leverage its proprietary metagenomics database to screen and characterize novel gene editing systems with high on-target specificity that are suitable for in vivo gene editing at therapeutically relevant sites in the CFTR gene.

Other terms of the award have not been disclosed.

About Metagenomi

At Metagenomi, we are accelerating innovation in cell and gene therapy with a wave of proprietary CRISPR-based systems to accurately edit DNA where current technologies cannot. Our metagenomics-powered discovery platform and analytical expertise reveal novel cellular machinery sourced from otherwise unknown organisms. We adapt and forge these naturally evolved systems into powerful therapeutic tools that can be leveraged by partners and fuel our own pipeline of potentially curative medicines. Our goal is to revolutionize gene editing and unlock its power for the benefit of patients around the world. For more information, please visit https://metagenomi.co/.

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