Aurigene secures non-exclusive CRISPR/Cas9 license from ERS Genomics for drug discovery

Aurigene Pharmaceutical Services, a contract research and manufacturing subsidiary of Dr. Reddy's Laboratories (NYSE: RDY), has secured a non-exclusive [CRISPR/Cas9 license agreement](https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/ers-genomics-and-aurigene-sign-crisprcas9-license-agreement-to-advance-precision-genome-editing-in-drug-discovery-302770886.html) with ERS Genomics, granting the Bangalore-based CRDMO access to the foundational CVC patent portfolio covering CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing across all cell types. The deal positions Aurigene to offer IP-cleared genome editing capabilities to its global pharmaceutical and biotech clients as a service layer within its integrated drug discovery platform. Financial terms were not disclosed. ERS Genomics, founded in Dublin in 2014 to commercialize intellectual property originating from the Nobel Prize-winning research of Prof. [Emmanuelle Charpentier](https://app.allsci.com/researcher/ASC-PR-0000073380363-1.0-1722657482), holds more than 130 issued patents globally — over 50 in the US alone — covering CRISPR/Cas9 use across prokaryotic and eukaryotic cell types. The CVC portfolio, named for the University of California Berkeley, the University of Vienna, and Charpentier, is widely regarded as one of the most foundational CRISPR/Cas9 IP estates in existence. ERS licenses these patents on a non-exclusive basis for research and commercial applications outside direct therapeutic use of CRISPR in humans. Under the agreement, Aurigene gains freedom to operate using CRISPR/Cas9 across its discovery service workflows, including target validation, disease model generation, and functional genomics screening for client programs. Aurigene, formed in 2020 through the merger of Dr. Reddy's Custom Pharmaceutical Services and Aurigene Discovery Technologies, serves pharmaceutical and biotech companies across small molecules, biologics, antibody-drug conjugates, and mRNA modalities. The license enables Aurigene to embed CRISPR/Cas9 into these workflows without IP exposure for itself or its clients. The mechanism underlying the platform is well established in published literature. CRISPR/Cas9 uses a guide RNA to direct the Cas9 endonuclease to a specific genomic locus, where it creates a double-strand break. Cells repair this break through either non-homologous end joining, producing gene disruption, or homology-directed repair, enabling precise sequence insertion or correction. The programmability of the guide RNA — requiring only a 20-nucleotide sequence change to redirect the system — makes it broadly applicable across target classes and cell types relevant to drug discovery. No specific therapeutic programs, clinical trial identifiers, or disease indications are named in the agreement. The license is structured as a platform access arrangement, meaning Aurigene can deploy CRISPR/Cas9 across an open-ended number of client engagements within the defined scope. ### Industry and transaction context The structure of this deal — a non-exclusive platform license granted to a CRDMO for service-layer deployment — reflects a well-established pattern in ERS Genomics' licensing strategy. The company's existing licensee network includes GSK, Merck, Bayer, Thermo Fisher Scientific, Corteva, Danaher, PerkinElmer, Charles River Laboratories, and Cargill, spanning pharma, life sciences tools, and agriculture. The inclusion of contract service organizations in that network is consistent with ERS's model of maximizing reach across the CRISPR ecosystem rather than pursuing exclusive arrangements with individual drug developers. For Aurigene, the deal reflects competitive pressure among CRDMOs to differentiate on the basis of validated, IP-cleared technology access. As genome editing becomes more routinely embedded in target validation and cell line engineering workflows, CRDMOs without foundational CRISPR licenses face potential freedom-to-operate constraints that could limit their ability to serve clients in regulated markets, particularly the US and EU. Securing the CVC portfolio addresses that exposure directly. *** This article was generated with AI assistance and reviewed and edited by the AllSci editorial team Explore more at AllSci News: [https://allsci.com/news/](https://allsci.com/news/) --- Spot something wrong? [Report an issue with this article](https://newsgen-prod.reframedata.com/feedback/crisprcas9-license-aurigene-secures-non-exclusive)