Editas是由CRISPR-Cas9的發明者之一,MIT華裔年輕教授張鋒參與發起成立的。Editas公司主攻基因編輯及致命性遺傳病治療技術,現階段主要負責開發利用Crispr-Cas9治療技術。它嘗試利用Crispr基因組編輯技術,修復能導致眼疾的問題基因,并在與開發癌癥治療新技術的Juno Therapeutics進行合作,但Editas的治療技術尚未進入人體試驗階段。這種方法能夠通過DNA剪切技術治療多種疾病。這一成果受到了眾多投資公司和生物醫藥巨頭的關注。
Editas的治療技術尚未進入人體試驗階段,也沒有披露人體試驗的時間表,但單是身在生物醫藥產業,而且處在最前沿的基因治療領域,已經足以讓Editas獲得眾投資公司和生物制藥機構的“搶食”了。
Editas Medicine is a transformative genome editing company founded by world leaders in the fields of genome editing, protein engineering, and molecular and structural biology, with specific expertise in CRISPR/Cas9 and TALENs technologies.
The company's mission is to translate its genome editing technology into a novel class of human therapeutics that enable precise and corrective molecular modification to treat the underlying cause of a broad range of diseases at the genetic level. The company has generated substantial patent filings and has access to intellectual property covering foundational genome editing technologies, as well as essential advancements and enablements that will uniquely allow the company to translate early findings into viable human therapeutic products.
Editas was founded in 2013 with $43 million in Series A venture capital financing led by leading health care venture capital firms Flagship Ventures, Polaris Partners and Third Rock Ventures with participation from Partners Innovation Fund.