Sangamo and Sigma-Aldrich team up with Roche
This article was originally published in Scrip
Executive Summary
Sigma-Aldrichand Sangamo BioScienceshave reached a research and licensing agreement with Rocheto provide non-exclusive, worldwide rights to the use of their proprietary zinc finger nuclease (ZFN) technology to develop cell lines and transgenic animals with targeted genetic modifications. Roche also has an option to an exclusive worldwide licence for the commercial use of ZFN-generated transgenic animals in the production of therapeutic and diagnostic products. Zinc finger DNA-binding proteins are the major form of transcription factor found in cells and they bind to DNA to regulate gene expression. ZFNs are zinc finger DNA-binding proteins that are engineered to contain a nuclease component, and can target particular genes precisely to produce knock-out animals as disease models. The research phase of the agreement will be conducted in collaboration with both Sangamo and Sigma-Aldrich, which has an exclusive licence to the ZFN technology for high-value research reagents. Under the agreement, Roche will pay research fees, and if it elects to exercise its option for an exclusive commercial licence will owe Sangamo an option licence fee, additional payments on achievement of clinical development events and royalties on sales of therapeutic and diagnostic products developed by Roche using the ZFN-modified animals.