[Public Notice+] Cellivery Registers EU Patent for Cell-Permeable Genome Regulator 'iCP-Cre'

[Asia Economy Reporter Hyunseok Yoo] Cellivery announced on the 23rd that its cell-permeable genome editing enzyme iCP-Cre has successfully been patented in 27 countries of the EU (European Union).

In new drug development, genetically engineered animal models using genome engineering play a key role in understanding various causes, disease progression, and diagnosis. To enable this, it is necessary to be able to cut, paste, connect, and manipulate the genome inside the nucleus of a living animal's single cell at will. This academic field, which emerged in the early 2000s and has since developed, is called Functional Genomics.

This enzyme was invented by Cellivery CEO Daewoong Cho, who, at Vanderbilt University School of Medicine in the United States, was the first in the world to penetrate the nucleus of living animal cells and freely manipulate the genome with a genome editing enzyme called cell-permeable Cre (CP-Cre). In particular, by applying Cellivery's 'pharmacological substance in vivo delivery technology,' it was reborn as a more powerful genome editing enzyme, iCP-Cre. The company explained that this technology is currently under patent examination in the U.S., and has been successfully patented in Europe where its novelty and progressiveness were recognized.

Additionally, iCP-NI, a more potent version of the sepsis shock treatment CP-NI developed using this technology, is being developed as a new drug for severe sepsis treatment. Non-clinical trials and large-scale production of clinical samples are currently underway with the goal of entering clinical trials in the shortest possible time. The company stated that this has attracted considerable internal and external attention, especially in connection with the recent issue of the Chinese 'Wuhan pneumonia' situation.

Cellivery's iCP-Cre is a cell- and tissue-permeable genome editing enzyme that enables the creation of genetically engineered mouse models with a simple injection. It is a cutting-edge technology essential for producing genetically modified animal models with high efficiency, high quality, and low cost. CEO Cho stated that it is expected to bring significant advancements in the biopharmaceutical field and is anticipated to gain further momentum in collaboration and technology licensing with multinational global pharmaceutical companies.