Precision BioSciences, Inc., a leader in the field of genome engineering, today announced that the United States Patent and Trademark Office has issued a Notice of Allowance for U.S. Patent Application 13/457,041 ("the '041 Application"). The allowed claims relate to materials and substitutions used for the creation of enzymes capable of modifying endogenous locations within a complex genome. These materials and substitutions constitute an important aspect of Precision's genome engineering technologies, known collectively as the Directed Nuclease Editor or DNE.
Precision's DNE technology allows for highly precise gene editing with engineered nucleases, a technique named Method of the Year by Nature Methods. The Notice of Allowance will further augment Precision's ability to protect and capitalize on this important biological tool. Upon issuance of the '041 Application, Precision will control a patent estate consisting of eleven foundational genome engineering patents in the U.S. and one in Europe. The '041 Application is expected to issue as U.S. Patent No. 8,304,222 on November 6, 2012.
"We are pleased that the U.S. Patent Office continues to recognize our novel contributions to the genome engineering field," stated Derek Jantz, co-inventor and Precision BioSciences' Vice President of Scientific Development. "This patent will allow us to protect yet another valuable aspect of our nuclease technology."
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