BioRevolution #1 - Gene Editing

Detect it, remove it, fix it! When encountering a problem or bug, we adhere to these systematic procedures. Living organisms' genomes are truly remarkable. Terms like "Genetic replication" and "Genetic modification" are casually spoken, but it's crucial to recognize that the reality is far from simple. Numerous enzymes and materials are often employed for a single step in these processes. It's important to grasp this fundamental notion. Now, let's delve into the inaugural theme of BioRevolution: Gene Editing.

We will examine gene editing from 3 main perspectives;

• Scientific Perspective
• Market Perspective
• Future Perspective

Scientific Perspective

Gene editing is a technique that enables scientists to modify the DNA of various organisms, including plants, bacteria, and animals. Genome editing tools, acting akin to molecular scissors, precisely cut DNA at specific locations. Subsequently, scientists can either remove, add, or replace DNA at the targeted site, allowing for intentional genetic modifications.

There are several genome editing techniques available, including ZFNs, TALENs, CRISPR-Cas9, base and prime editing, and PASTE. Each of these techniques has its own advantages and disadvantages, and scientists choose the technique that is best suited for their research needs. [...]

CRISPR-Cas9 revolutionized gene editing. In 2020, The Nobel Prize in Chemistry was awarded to Emmanuelle Charpentier and Jennifer Doudna for their discovery of the CRISPR/Cas9 genetic scissors. This tool allows scientists to edit the DNA of any living thing with extremely high precision. The CRISPR/Cas9 system is a genome editing technology that acts like scissors, cutting the DNA at a specific spot. Then scientists can remove, add, or replace the DNA where it was cut. [...]

This technology has revolutionized the molecular life sciences, brought new opportunities for plant breeding, and is contributing to innovative cancer therapies and more.

??Groundbreaking News: UK first to approve CRISPR treatment for diseases: CASGEVY? will treat the blood conditions sickle-cell disease and β-thalassaemia.

This is the first regulatory authorization of a CRISPR-based gene-editing therapy in the world! [...]

Market Perspective

We examined the scientific details of gene editing and CRISPR together. Time to look at the market details! When we look at the value of the 2022 genome editing market was 6.11 billion USD. 2023 value is expected to grow incredibly to 7.20 billion USD. That means an annual growth rate (CAGR) of 17.8%. Yesterday is yesterday. Let’s look at the future!

In 2027… That is expected to be 14.22 billion USD at a CAGR of 18.5%.

One of the major players in the gene editing industry is CRISPR whose market segment led and contributed 42.9% of total revenue in 2022. If you are interested in the gene editing industry, you may also check Zinc Finger Nucleases (ZFNS) and Transcription Activator-Like Effector Nucleases (TALENS).

-The Business Research Company’s Gene Editing Global Market Report 2023-

Key Player Companies:

1. 龙沙

The market cap is?27.64 Billion USD.

Lonza Group AG offers contract manufacturing and development services to the pharmaceutical, biotechnology, and healthcare sectors. They provide a wide range of goods and services, such as the production of reagents for research as well as cell and gene therapy. Lonza contributes significantly to the field of gene editing by offering the necessary resources and knowledge to produce gene therapies.

2. CRISPR Therapeutics

The market cap is 4.89 Billion USD.

CRISPR Therapeutics is a leader in CRISPR-based gene editing. They specialize in developing drugs that accurately alter DNA, and they may be able to handle severe genetic issues. The company's pipeline includes treatments for beta-thalassemia, sickle cell disease, and certain cancers.

*Founded by Emmanuelle Charpentier , winner of the 2020 Nobel Prize in Chemistry

3. Editas Medicine

The market cap is?860.02 Million USD.

Editas Medicine is dedicated to creating revolutionary gene-editing treatments to address hereditary illnesses. They alter genes and fix disease-causing mutations using the CRISPR-Cas9 technology. The goal of Editas Medicine is to use gene editing to potentially treat a variety of illnesses, such as eye ailments and rare genetic problems.

*Founded by Jennifer Doudna, winner of the 2020 Nobel Prize in Chemistry

Startup Ecosystem:

1. Beam Therapeutics

Founded in 2017

USA based company

The market cap is 2,53 Billion USD.

Beam Therapeutics is a unicorn startup specializing in base editing, a gene editing technology that allows for precise changes to individual DNA letters. Their goal is to create treatments for diseases caused by genetics, such as sickle cell anemia and genetic liver conditions. As a result of the promise of their fundamental editing platform, Beam Therapeutics has attracted considerable interest and large funding.

2. Mammoth Biosciences

Founded in 2017

USA based company

Mammoth Biosciences specializes in creating CRISPR-based technologies for gene editing and diagnostics. They have created a CRISPR-based diagnostic system that makes it possible to quickly and cheaply detect genetic material, including infections and disease markers. CRISPR technology has also been used for therapeutic purposes by Mammoth Biosciences.

*Founded by Jennifer Doudna, winner of the 2020 Nobel Prize in Chemistry

3. Eligo Bioscience

Founded in 2014

France based company

Eligo Bioscience is the world leader in microbiome in-vivo gene editing and is advancing a highly differentiated pipeline of precision medicines to address unmet medical needs in immunoinflammation, oncology, and infectious diseases driven by the expression of deleterious bacterial genes.

**Eligo Bioscience raises $30 Million to write a novel chapter for genetic medicines

4. Pencil Biosciences Limited

Founded in 2018

UK based company

Pencil Biosciences develops a non-CRISPR gene editing platform for rare diseases and cancer treatments. Their innovative gene-editing technology can have an impact across a range of applications, including new therapeutic options for patients with rare diseases. The technology is small, modular in design, and non-CRISPR in composition.

**Pencil Biosciences has raised ￡5.6 million in seed funding

5. Tome Biosciences

Founded in 2021

USA based company

Tome Biosciences is a company that specializes in programmable genomic integration (PGI). Their technologies allow them to insert any genetic sequence of any size at any location in the genome with site-specific precision. This technology helps to detect and destroy deoxyribonucleic acid from similar bacteriophages during subsequent infections, enabling patients to be cured through cell and genome engineering.

**Tome Biosciences launches with over $200 Million in funding to advance Programmable Genomic Integration platform

??Groundbreaking News: BIO CITY which is the largest biotech city in Europe will soon be built in Lithuania Vilnius, with an investment amounting to €7B. Gene Therapy Centre will open in 2024. By 2030, BIO CITY will see the inauguration of five additional complexes, including centers for R&D and Virology, Life Sciences Industry Smart Services, Stem Cell Research, and 3D Bioprinting, as well as two large-scale production centers for mammalian and microbial products. [...]

Future Perspective

• There is a point that everyone clearly sees: the potential of genetic editing in the treatment of diseases, as evident from the strides being made in this direction. Now, I want to shift your perspective and focus on a specific point: Equality. It is undeniable that these technologies come at a cost. Initially, it is expected that a small affluent segment will benefit from these treatments. However, hindering the accessibility of those who can reach it for the sake of equality would lead to another injustice. What we need to consider is how these products can become more accessible. Inviting scientists and investors interested in this issue to contribute to this future perspective and taking proactive steps to support these issues before they become a global concern is foresight.
• While the emphasis above and in the sources is on treatment methods, agriculture, and food play a significant role here. Looking at the perspectives of both the productivity we gain from the harvest and the efficiency we derive from the consumed product, genetic editing stands at an incredible point. We are discussing a topic that can have a positive impact on the world in terms of hunger and inequality. Although even in Turkey alone, with over 3000 endemic plant species, the number of plant species we humans use as food is limited. Can the obstacles to using endemic species as food be removed through genetic editing methods? I don't know, but I believe it's worth thinking.

We will be together again in two weeks with our new topic, Circular Bioeconomy.

See you beyond gene editing :)

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