Agreement strengthens Sai Life Sciences' discovery and development platforms with access to foundational CRISPR/Cas9 intellectual property, enabling responsible innovation and enhanced global partner support
DUBLIN and HYDERABAD, India, Sept. 22, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- ERS Genomics Limited ('ERS'), the CRISPR licensing company, today announced that it has signed a non-exclusive license agreement with Sai Life Sciences Limited ("Sai Life Sciences"), an integrated contract research, development, and manufacturing organization (CRDMO).
The agreement grants Sai Life Sciences access to ERS Genomics' foundational CRISPR/Cas9 patent portfolio for use in research and product development. Through this license, Sai Life Sciences can integrate precision genome editing capabilities into its discovery and development platforms, strengthening its ability to support global pharmaceutical and biotechnology partners across small molecule programs.
Building on this access, Sai Life Sciences can deploy CRISPR/Cas9-enabled models and workflows to help clients validate targets, screen compounds and generate decision-relevant biological insights earlier in discovery, complementing its biology, DMPK and pharmacology platforms.
Maneesh Pingle, President, Discovery, Sai Life Sciences, said, "As the industry moves towards more complex biological questions and novel therapeutic approaches, we are continually expanding our scientific capabilities to stay ahead. The addition of CRISPR-Cas9 to our discovery platform is another step in that journey, strengthening our ability to support clients as they pursue the next generation of medicines. Our agreement with ERS Genomics gives us access to foundational CRISPR-Cas9 technology that will further strengthen these capabilities and expand the ways in which we can support our clients across discovery and development."
CRISPR/Cas9 is a transformative genome editing technology that enables precise and efficient modification of DNA. As genome editing becomes increasingly embedded in drug discovery workflows, from target validation to cell line engineering, access to foundational intellectual property remains essential to ensure responsible deployment and long-term freedom to operate.
John E. Milad, Chief Executive Officer, ERS Genomics, said: "We are delighted to welcome Sai Life Sciences as a licensee. Sai Life Sciences' integrated discovery, development and manufacturing capabilities and its global base of innovator partners make it a strong addition to our growing network of CRISPR licensees. By securing access to our foundational CRISPR/Cas9 portfolio, Sai Life Sciences is well positioned to advance innovative research and development programmes with clarity and confidence."
ERS Genomics provides access to the pioneering CRISPR/Cas9 intellectual property developed by Dr. Emmanuelle Charpentier and her collaborators. Through its streamlined licensing program, 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 Sai Life Sciences
Sai Life Sciences (BSE: 544306) (NSE: SAILIFE ) is a full-service Contract Research, Development & Manufacturing Organization (CRDMO) working with innovator pharma and biotech companies globally to accelerate the discovery, development, and commercialization of small molecules and emerging modalities. With operations across India, the UK, and the US, Sai Life Sciences offers deep scientific expertise, world-class infrastructure, and a culture of excellence focused on quality, safety, and sustainability. For more details visit: www.sailife.com
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