ERS Genomics and KU Leuven Sign CRISPR/Cas9 License Agreement to Expand CRISPR-Enabled Research Services

Agreement gives KU Leuven's Leuven Viral Vector Core access to foundational CRISPR/Cas9 intellectual property, supporting genome editing services for academic and industry researchers worldwide

DUBLIN, and LEUVEN, Belgium, Oct. 22, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- ERS Genomics Limited ('ERS Genomics'), the CRISPR licensing company, today announced that it has signed a non-exclusive license agreement with KU Leuven covering CRISPR/Cas9 activities at the Leuven Viral Vector Core (LVVC), a core facility of KU Leuven.

The agreement grants KU Leuven worldwide access to ERS Genomics' foundational CRISPR/Cas9 patent portfolio for research tools and reagents, CRISPR-modified cells and animal models for laboratory research, and services that support drug target identification and validation, compound screening and preclinical research. Through this license, the LVVC can combine CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing with its viral vector expertise to offer engineered cell models and related services to researchers in academia and industry.

The LVVC provides customized viral vector technologies and services to support biomedical research and preclinical development. Through this agreement, the LVVC will expand its service portfolio with CRISPR/Cas9-mediated genome engineering, including the generation of customized cellular disease models and engineered induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) lines using viral vector-based delivery platforms. These capabilities will support a broad range of research applications, including disease modeling, functional genomics, target validation, and preclinical development.

Rik Gijsbers, Professor Advances Disease Modelling, Target Drug Discovery and Gene Therapy, KU Leuven, said: "At the LVVC, we are committed to providing researchers with state-of-the-art technologies that accelerate scientific discovery and translational research. This license enables us to integrate CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing with our extensive expertise in viral vector development and delivery, providing academic and industrial partners with access to robust, high-quality genome engineering tools and services."

CRISPR/Cas9 is a transformative genome editing technology that enables precise and efficient modification of DNA. As genome editing becomes increasingly embedded in research workflows, from disease modelling to target validation, licensed access to foundational intellectual property is an essential step toward securing freedom to operate.

John E. Milad, Chief Executive Officer, ERS Genomics, said: "CRISPR is the most widely used genome editing technology in biomedical research and drug discovery, and its applications keep growing. KU Leuven's Leuven Viral Vector Core is putting that technology directly in researchers' hands, pairing CRISPR/Cas9 with its deep viral vector expertise. We're pleased to support LVVC with licensed access to the foundational CRISPR/Cas9 IP as it expands its services to academic and industry partners."

ERS Genomics provides access to the pioneering CRISPR/Cas9 intellectual property developed by Dr. Emmanuelle Charpentier and her collaborators. Through its streamlined licensing program, ERS Genomics enables companies and institutions worldwide to access foundational patents covering the use of CRISPR/Cas9 technology across research and commercial applications.

About ERS Genomics

ERS Genomics provides access to the foundational CRISPR/Cas9 intellectual property estate (the 'CVC Patents') co-owned by Nobel Laureate Professor Emmanuelle Charpentier, who, together with Dr Jennifer Doudna, was awarded the 2020 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for developing CRISPR/Cas9 gene-editing technology. The CVC portfolio represents the most comprehensive and widely granted collection of foundational CRISPR/Cas9 patents globally, more than 130 issued patents, including over 50 in the US, encompassing over 1,400 claims across all cell types.

Derived from a bacterial immune defence system, CRISPR/Cas9 is a precise, efficient tool for editing DNA in living organisms that has transformed research across genetics, biotechnology, and molecular biology.

ERS Genomics offers non-exclusive licenses to the CVC Patents for research and commercial applications outside the direct use of CRISPR as a human therapeutic. These licenses provide essential freedom to operate for organizations working with CRISPR/Cas9 across a wide range of fields, including: life sciences research tools, reagents, and services, discovery of novel therapeutic targets, development of engineered cell lines and animal models for drug screening, bioproduction of antibodies and therapeutic proteins, animal and agricultural biotechnology, synthetic biology, including production of enzymes, food ingredients, and bio-based chemicals.

Current ERS licensees include GSK, Merck, Bayer, Thermo Fisher Scientific, Corteva, Danaher, PerkinElmer, Charles River Laboratories, and Cargill. For more information, visit www.ersgenomics.com.

About KU Leuven

KU Leuven is Belgium's largest university and one of Europe's leading research-intensive universities. Founded in 1425, KU Leuven combines high-quality education with pioneering research across a broad range of disciplines, including life sciences, engineering, health, and technology. Through close collaboration with academic, clinical, and industrial partners worldwide, KU Leuven is committed to advancing scientific knowledge and translating research excellence into societal and economic impact.

The LVVC is a state-of-the-art academic core facility at KU Leuven providing viral vector and genome engineering services to researchers worldwide. Operating in a fully equipped BSL2+ environment, LVVC specializes in the production of retroviral, lentiviral and recombinant AAV vectors, as well as virus-like particles (VLPs), supporting applications ranging from basic research and disease modelling to translational and preclinical studies. For more information, visit www.lvvc.be.