Factor Bioscience Announces U.S. Department of Defense Grant to Develop Gene-Edited Cell Therapies

-Leverages Factor's extensively patented mRNA, cell-reprogramming, and gene-editing technologies

-Cell therapy candidates will initially be developed for the treatment of Duchenne muscular dystrophy ("DMD")

-Other planned applications include infectious, inflammatory, and autoimmune indications

CAMBRIDGE, Mass., Jan. 9, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Factor Bioscience Inc. ("Factor"), a Cambridge, Massachusetts-based biotechnology company developing advanced mRNA and cell-engineering technologies, announced the award of a U.S. Department of Defense grant to develop next-generation cell therapy candidates using Factor's patented mRNA, cell-reprogramming, and gene-editing technologies. The project will be led by Factor's Co-Founder and Chief Technology Officer, Dr. Christopher Rohde.

"The recent approval of the first CRISPR gene-edited cell therapy has paved the way for the development of many new medicines made using state-of-the-art gene-editing technologies," said Dr. Rohde. "With the support of this grant, Factor will leverage its expertise in mRNA and therapeutic gene-editing technology development to advance the first mRNA gene-edited cell therapy platform toward commercialization."

Under the award, Factor will generate the first scalable cell therapy specifically targeting muscle inflammation in DMD patients. To carry out the work, Factor will utilize its extensively patented technologies for engineering cells, including methods for reprogramming and gene-editing cells using mRNA.

"Cells are the building blocks of life, and disease is caused by cellular dysfunction," said Dr. Matt Angel, Co-Founder, Chairman and CEO of Factor. "While every disease is unique, the link to cellular function provides opportunities to intervene in essentially any disease using cell engineering. As early innovators in the field of therapeutic cell engineering, we are excited to deploy these powerful technologies to develop new medicines to treat patients in need."

The award is sponsored by the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs, through the Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy Research Program, which is endorsed by the Department of Defense. The award will fund development activities for up to five years.

About Factor Bioscience
Factor Bioscience develops technologies for engineering cells to promote health and improve lives. For more information, visit www.factorbio.com.

The contents of this press release do not necessarily represent the official view of the United States Department of Defense.

SOURCE Factor Bioscience