What Is the History of Crispr? Patent Wars Between China and the United States

Scientists discovered DNA in the 20th century and how to edit it as desired in the 21st

The United States and China agreed on the patent for the revolutionary gene treatment method Crispr . Considered the most expensive patent known, this genetic technology is thought worth 100 billion dollars. The agreement concerns the Crispr / Cas9 system developed by University of California researchers. We know Harvard researchers also applied for a similar Crispr patent and await their response to the agreement.

Crispr technology for gene editing is undoubtedly this century’s greatest biotechnology breakthrough, as important as DNA’s discovery in the previous century. It is a highly effective, relatively simple method for targeted DNA changes. Though its name is only beginning to be heard and patent disputes resemble warfare, countries, companies and universities worldwide have invested heavily. It could eliminate genetic disorders in all organisms. Because cancer is a genetic disease at cellular level, treating cancer is a foremost Crispr target.

What Is Crispr? Crispr and Cancer Treatment

In 2013, the Crispr/Cas9 technique became known worldwide, having been discovered while studying bacterial–viral interactions. Viruses attach to bacterial surfaces and deliver their own DNAby injection. Viral DNA enters bacterial genetic material and produces viruses. Bacteria developed protection: their Cas9 enzyme recognizes viral DNA fragments. Once viral DNA is identified, the bacterium cuts it using Cas9. The cut fragment is called Crispr. By incorporating it into their own genetic structure, bacteria remember viral DNA and defend faster against the same virus. Thus, Crispr/Cas9 resembles a bacterial immune system. In summary, Crispr is a naturally occurring bacterial gene region forming, with Cas9, a defense against viruses. Researchers redesigned Crispr/Cas9 for gene editing.

Cancer’s fundamental cause is damage to “genes.” Crispr / Cas9 can remove mutated sequences and/or replace incorrectly protein-coding genes with correct ones, eliminating cancer-causing mutations. Immune T cells can also be programmed with CRISPR/Cas9 to attack cancer more effectively.

Crispr Patent Wars

A major Crispr / Cas9 controversy concerns who owns the discovery and usage rights. Two independent groups claimed they developed crispr/cas9, with patent applications and publications close in time. The first was led by Jenifer Doudna at the University of California. In May 2012, Jenifer Doudna and her team made the first patent application for gene editing using Crispr/Cas9. Experimental results were published in June 2012 in Science.

The other group was led by Feng Zhang at Harvard’s Broad Institute. In January 2013, they published on crispr/cas9 gene editing in eukaryotic human and animal cells. Their first patent application was made in December 2012.

Shortly after Fen Zhang’s publication, Doudna’s team published work showing Crispr/Cas9 use in eukaryotic cells. However, Zhang’s group obtained the first patent.

The United States dispute centered on who discovered Crispr/Cas9 use in eukaryotic cells. At the time of initial applications, the United States used the first-to-invent patent system, in which the first inventor had the right to apply. California argued that it discovered Crispr/Cas9 and its applications also enabled eukaryotic use. Harvard claimed rights to this use. The dispute continues. Research centers worldwide have nevertheless continued developing crispr and testing it in different diseases. In particular, Chinaplaced great importance on crispr and was the first country to begin cancer treatment clinical trials.

Crispr and Cancer research and debate continued when, on Monday 19 June 2017, China’s Patent Office announced support for the University of California patent. Licensed to Intellia therapeutics, it will accelerate research. Under this patent,

• Intellia Therapeutics will have rights to sell and market any treatment developed with CRISPR technology in China.
• The patent covers CRISPR use in cellular or noncellular experimental systems, disease treatment and drug development.

China primarily supports this patent because its research centers study CRISPR/Cas9 intensively. Two trials are currently active. The first began in October 2016, evaluating CRISPR’s effects in lung cancer treatment . The second began in April 2017, enrolling stage 4 nasopharyngeal, stomach and lymph cancer patients: 20 patients. Trials continue. In addition, CRISPR/Cas9 trials involving breast cancer and other cancers such as cervical cancer have begun in more than 20 clinical studies.