CAMBRIDGE, Mass., May 01, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Editas Medicine, Inc. (Nasdaq: EDIT), a clinical-stage gene editing company, today announced a two-year extension to the collaboration with Bristol Myers Squibb (NYSE: BMY) under which the parties may research, develop, and commercialize autologous and allogeneic alpha-beta T cell medicines for the treatment of cancer and autoimmune diseases. The extension also has options to extend the collaboration for up to an additional two years.

Under the collaboration, Bristol Myers Squibb has opted into 13 different programs across 11 gene targets to date. Two programs are currently in IND-enabling studies, and four programs are in late-stage discovery.

“Bristol Myers Squibb is a leader in advancing innovative medicines to treat serious diseases, and we are pleased to extend our relationship to develop medicines for serious diseases,” said Linda C. Burkly, Ph.D., Chief Scientific Officer. “As we’ve increased our internal commitment to advancing in vivo gene editing medicines, we believe this collaboration will be effective in making the next generation of allogeneic medicines to fight many common cancers.”

Under the terms of the original agreement, Editas Medicine may develop genome editing tools and Bristol Myers Squibb will have rights to opt-in to such genome editing tools for development of gene edited alpha-beta T cell therapies. For each new experimental medicine that Bristol Myers Squibb develops and commercializes using opted-into genome editing tools, Bristol Myers Squibb will pay Editas Medicine potential future milestone payments. Following the approval of any products resulting from the collaboration, Editas Medicine is also eligible to receive tiered royalties on net sales.

Editas Medicine and Juno Therapeutics, Inc. (Celgene, now Bristol Myers Squibb), originally entered into a strategic research collaboration in 2015 focused on creating chimeric antigen receptor T (CAR T) and high-affinity T cell receptor (TCR) cell therapies to treat cancer. The exclusive research period under the original collaboration was set to expire in 2020 and was amended in 2019 with Celgene/Bristol Myers Squibb replacing the original agreement and allowing Editas to develop non-alpha-beta T cell therapies, while expanding Celgene/Bristol Myers Squibb’s access to gene-edited alpha-beta T cells beyond oncology. The current research agreement was set to expire in 2024 and has now been extended to 2026 with two options for one-year extensions extending the relationship into 2028.

About Editas Medicine
As a clinical-stage gene editing company, Editas Medicine is focused on translating the power and potential of the CRISPR/Cas12a and CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing systems into a robust pipeline of treatments for people living with serious diseases around the world. Editas Medicine aims to discover, develop, manufacture, and commercialize transformative, durable, precision genomic medicines for a broad class of diseases. Editas Medicine is the exclusive licensee of Broad Institute’s Cas12a patent estate and Broad Institute and Harvard University’s Cas9 patent estates for human medicines. For the latest information and scientific presentations, please visit www.editasmedicine.com.

Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements and information within the meaning of The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. The words ‘‘anticipate,’’ ‘‘believe,’’ ‘‘continue,’’ ‘‘could,’’ ‘‘estimate,’’ ‘‘expect,’’ ‘‘intend,’’ ‘‘may,’’ ‘‘plan,’’ ‘‘potential,’’ ‘‘predict,’’ ‘‘project,’’ ‘‘target,’’ ‘‘should,’’ ‘‘would,’’ and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements, although not all forward-looking statements contain these identifying words. Forward-looking statements in this press release include statements regarding the expected benefits of Editas Medicine’s collaboration with Bristol Myers Squibb, including any future payments it may receive under the strategic research collaboration and the potential to generate medicines from the collaboration. The Company may not actually achieve the plans, intentions, or expectations disclosed in these forward-looking statements, and you should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. Actual results or events could differ materially from the plans, intentions and expectations disclosed in these forward-looking statements as a result of various important factors, including: uncertainties inherent in the initiation and completion of pre-clinical studies and clinical trials and clinical development of product candidates; availability and timing of results from pre-clinical studies and clinical trials; whether interim results from a clinical trial will be predictive of the final results of the trial or the results of future trials; expectations for regulatory approvals to conduct trials or to market products and availability of funding sufficient for foreseeable and unforeseeable operating expenses and capital expenditure requirements. These and other risks are described in greater detail under the caption “Risk Factors” included in the Company’s most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K, which is on file with the Securities and Exchange Commission, as updated by the Company’s subsequent filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, and in other filings that the Company may make with the Securities and Exchange Commission in the future. Any forward-looking statements contained in this press release speak only as of the date hereof, and the Company expressly disclaims any obligation to update any forward-looking statements, whether because of new information, future events or otherwise.