June 06, 2017 08:30 ET | Source: CRISPR Therapeutics AG

BASEL, Switzerland and CAMBRIDGE, Mass. and GOSSELIES, Belgium, June 06, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- CRISPR Therapeutics AG (NASDAQ:CRSP), a leader in gene-editing based therapeutics, and MaSTherCell SA, a full service contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO), wholly-owned subsidiary of Orgenesis Inc. (OTCQB:ORGS), today announced the signing of an agreement to develop and manufacture allogeneic CAR-T therapies.

MaSTherCell will be responsible for the development and cGMP manufacturing of CTX101 for use in clinical studies. CTX101 is an allogeneic CAR T-cell therapy currently in development by CRISPR Therapeutics for the treatment of CD19 positive malignancies. The program utilizes CRISPRs proprietary gene-editing technology to make targeted modifications to the T-cell, thereby enabling an allogeneic, or off-the-shelf, product that is applicable to a broader patient population and addresses the challenges of the current generation of autologous therapies.

The signing of this agreement represents an important milestone for CRISPR Therapeutics as it not only demonstrates our progress with CTX101, but also lays the foundation for our broader activities and emerging pipeline in the allogeneic cell therapy field, said Jon Terrett, Head of Immuno-Oncology Research and Translation at CRISPR Therapeutics.

Were really excited to have initiated work with MaSTherCell. Their market-leading capabilities and deeply relevant experience stood out as we looked for a partner to help accelerate our pre-clinical programs towards the clinic in both the US and Europe, added Samarth Kulkarni, President and Chief Business Officer at CRISPR Therapeutics.

MaSTherCell provides process optimization and manufacturing services to cell therapy organizations. It has quickly built the most extensive experience in the field and is focused on developing solutions to the industrialization challenges facing the cell therapy sector.

We are looking forward to working with CRISPR Therapeutics. They have made significant progress to date with multiplexed gene editing and this provides a solid platform upon which we can bring to bear MaSTherCells significant experience in the manufacturing of allogeneic cell therapies, said Denis Bedoret, General Manager at MaSTherCell.

About CRISPR Therapeutics

CRISPR Therapeutics is a leading gene-editing company focused on developing transformative gene-based medicines for serious diseases using its proprietary CRISPR / Cas9 gene-editing platform. CRISPR / Cas9 is a revolutionary technology that allows for precise, directed changes to genomic DNA. The company's multi-disciplinary team of world-class researchers and drug developers is working to translate this technology into breakthrough human therapeutics in a number of serious diseases. Additionally, CRISPR Therapeutics has established strategic collaborations with Bayer AG and Vertex Pharmaceuticals to develop CRISPR-based therapeutics in diseases with high unmet need. The foundational CRISPR / Cas9 patent estate for human therapeutic use was licensed from the company's scientific founder Emmanuelle Charpentier, Ph.D. CRISPR Therapeutics AG is headquartered in Basel, Switzerland, with its wholly-owned U.S. subsidiary, CRISPR Therapeutics, Inc., and R&D operations based in Cambridge, Massachusetts. For more information, please visit http://www.crisprtx.com.

About MaSTherCell

MaSTherCell is a dynamic and global Contract Development and Manufacturing Organization (CDMO) on a mission to deliver optimized process industrialization capacities to cell therapy organizations, and speed up the arrival of their therapies onto the market. The company is the subsidiary of Orgenesis Inc. (OTCQB:ORGS), a cell therapy and regenerative medicine company that is committed to developing a cure for Type 1 diabetes. The heart of MaSTherCell is a team of more than 80 highly dedicated experts combining strong experience in cGMP cell therapy manufacturing with a technology-focused approach and a substantial knowledge of the industry. From technology selection to business modeling, GMP manufacturing, process development, quality management and assay development, MaSTherCells teams are fully committed to helping their clients fulfill their objective of providing sustainable and affordable therapies to their patients. The company operates in a validated and flexible facility located in the strategic center of Europe within the Walloon healthcare cluster, Biowin. For more information, please visit http://www.masthercell.com.

About Orgenesis

Orgenesis is a vertically-integrated biopharmaceutical company. The Companys MaSTherCell subsidiary is a global Contract Development and Manufacturing Organization (CDMO) delivering optimized process industrialization capacities to cell therapy companies, and speeding up the arrival of these therapies onto the market. Orgenesis is also developing its own proprietary cell therapies through its subsidiary Orgenesis Ltd., utilizing its proprietary process of Transdifferentiation (or cell reprogramming), whereby an adult cell is converted into another type of cell, such as reprogramming human liver cells into glucose-responsive, fully functional, insulin producing cells, which have the potential to provide a practical cure for insulin dependent diabetes. For more information, visit http://www.orgenesis.com.

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CRISPR Therapeutics and MaSTherCell SA sign service agreement ... - GlobeNewswire (press release)

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