February 16, 2021 16:01 ET | Source: CRISPR Therapeutics AG

-More than 20 patients have been dosed with CTX001 across CLIMB-Thal-111 and CLIMB-SCD-121 to date; completion of enrollment in both trials is expected in 2021 -

- The first patient treated in the CLIMB-Thal-111 trial completed two years of follow-up and has enrolled in the long-term follow-up trial, CTX001-131 -

- Additional data from CTX110 trial expected to report in 2021, along with top-line data from CTX120 and CTX130 -

ZUG, Switzerland and CAMBRIDGE, Mass., Feb. 16, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- CRISPR Therapeutics(Nasdaq: CRSP), a biopharmaceutical company focused on creating transformative gene-based medicines for serious diseases, today reported financial results for the fourth quarter and full year ended December 31, 2020.

2020 was a pivotal year in the growth of CRISPR Therapeutics. Data presented at ASH and published in The New England Journal of Medicine in December of last year provided important validation of our clinical program, CTX001, in TDT and SCD, while positive top-line results from our ongoing Phase 1 CARBON trial for CTX110 targeting CD19+ B-cell malignancies, reported in October 2020, demonstrated meaningful progress for our immuno-oncology program, said Samarth Kulkarni, Ph.D., Chief Executive Officer of CRISPR Therapeutics. We are entering 2021 with strong momentum and look forward to further advancing our programs as we enter a new phase of growth for the company.

Dr. Kulkarni added: In 2021, we expect to complete enrollment in the CTX001 clinical trials and provide data updates on our three clinical allogeneic CAR-T programs. Additionally, we hope to make meaningful progress in bringing our large-scale manufacturing facility online and in building our commercial infrastructure.

Recent Highlights and Outlook

Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2020 Financial Results

About CTX001 CTX001 is an investigational, autologous, ex vivo CRISPR/Cas9 gene-edited therapy that is being evaluated for patients suffering from TDT or severe SCD, in which a patients hematopoietic stem cells are engineered to produce high levels of fetal hemoglobin (HbF; hemoglobin F) in red blood cells. HbF is a form of the oxygen-carrying hemoglobin that is naturally present at birth, which then switches to the adult form of hemoglobin. The elevation of HbF by CTX001 has the potential to alleviate transfusion requirements for TDT patients and reduce painful and debilitating sickle crises for SCD patients.

Based on progress in this program to date, CTX001 has been granted Regenerative Medicine Advanced Therapy, Fast Track, Orphan Drug, and Rare Pediatric Disease designations from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). CTX001 has also been granted Orphan Drug Designation from the European Commission, for both TDT and SCD, as well as Priority Medicines designation from the European Medicines Agency for SCD.

CTX001 is being developed under a co-development and co-commercialization agreement between CRISPR Therapeutics and Vertex. Among gene-editing approaches being investigated/evaluated for TDT and SCD, CTX001 is the furthest advanced in clinical development.

About CLIMB-Thal-111 The ongoing Phase 1/2 open-label trial, CLIMB-Thal-111, is designed to assess the safety and efficacy of a single dose of CTX001 in patients ages 12 to 35 with TDT. The trial will enroll up to 45 patients and follow patients for approximately two years after infusion. Each patient will be asked to participate in a long-term follow-up trial.

About CLIMB-SCD-121 The ongoing Phase 1/2 open-label trial, CLIMB-SCD-121, is designed to assess the safety and efficacy of a single dose of CTX001 in patients ages 12 to 35 with severe SCD. The trial will enroll up to 45 patients and follow patients for approximately two years after infusion. Each patient will be asked to participate in a long-term follow-up trial.

About CTX110 CTX110, a wholly owned program of CRISPR Therapeutics, is a healthy donor-derived gene-edited allogeneic CAR-T investigational therapy targeting cluster of differentiation 19, or CD19. CTX110 is being investigated in the ongoing CARBON trial.

About CARBON The ongoing Phase 1 single-arm, multi-center, open label clinical trial, CARBON, is designed to assess the safety and efficacy of several dose levels of CTX110 for the treatment of relapsed or refractory B-cell malignancies.

About CTX120 CTX120, a wholly-owned program of CRISPR Therapeutics, is a healthy donor-derived gene-edited allogeneic CAR-T investigational therapy targeting B-cell maturation antigen, or BCMA. CTX120 is being investigated in an ongoing Phase 1 single-arm, multi-center, open-label clinical trial designed to assess the safety and efficacy of several dose levels of CTX120 for the treatment of relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma.

Based on progress to date in this program, CTX120 has been granted Orphan Drug designation from the FDA.

About CTX130 CTX130, a wholly-owned program of CRISPR Therapeutics, is a healthy donor-derived gene-edited allogeneic CAR-T investigational therapy targeting cluster of differentiation 70, or CD70, an antigen expressed on various solid tumors and hematologic malignancies. CTX130 is being developed for the treatment of both solid tumors, such as renal cell carcinoma, and T-cell and B-cell hematologic malignancies. CTX130 is being investigated in two ongoing independent Phase 1, single-arm, multi-center, open-label clinical trials that are designed to assess the safety and efficacy of several dose levels of CTX130 for the treatment of relapsed or refractory renal cell carcinoma and various subtypes of lymphoma, respectively.

About CRISPR Therapeutics CRISPR Therapeutics is a leading gene editing company focused on developing transformative gene-based medicines for serious diseases using its proprietary CRISPR/Cas9 platform. CRISPR/Cas9 is a revolutionary gene editing technology that allows for precise, directed changes to genomic DNA. CRISPR Therapeutics has established a portfolio of therapeutic programs across a broad range of disease areas including hemoglobinopathies, oncology, regenerative medicine and rare diseases. To accelerate and expand its efforts, CRISPR Therapeutics has established strategic partnerships with leading companies including Bayer, Vertex Pharmaceuticals and ViaCyte, Inc. CRISPR Therapeutics AG is headquartered in Zug, Switzerland, with its wholly-owned U.S. subsidiary, CRISPR Therapeutics, Inc., and R&D operations based in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and business offices in San Francisco, California and London, United Kingdom. For more information, please visit http://www.crisprtx.com.

CRISPR Therapeutics Forward-Looking Statement This press release may contain a number of forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, as amended, including statements made byDr. Kulkarniin this press release, as well as statements regarding CRISPR Therapeutics expectations about any or all of the following: (i) the safety, efficacy and clinical progress of CRISPR Therapeutics various clinical programs, including CTX001, CTX110, CTX120 and CTX130; (ii) the status of clinical trials (including, without limitation, expectations regarding the data that is being presented, the expected timing of data releases and development, as well as completion of clinical trials) and development timelines for CRISPR Therapeutics product candidates; (iii) the data that will be generated by ongoing and planned clinical trials, and the ability to use that data for the design and initiation of further clinical trials, including expectations regarding the CTX001 and CTX110 data that was recently presented; (iv) the actual or potential benefits of regulatory designations; (v) CRISPR Therapeutics ability to build out new facilities in anticipated timeframes and need for infrastructure expansion; (vi) the intellectual property coverage and positions ofCRISPR Therapeutics, its licensors and third parties as well as the status and potential outcome of proceedings involving any such intellectual property; (vii) the sufficiency of CRISPR Therapeutics cash resources; (viii) the expected benefits of CRISPR Therapeutics collaborations; (ix) updates to CRISPR Therapeutics management team; and (x) the therapeutic value, development, and commercial potential of CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing technologies and therapies. Without limiting the foregoing, the words believes, anticipates, plans, expects and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. You are cautioned that forward-looking statements are inherently uncertain. AlthoughCRISPR Therapeuticsbelieves that such statements are based on reasonable assumptions within the bounds of its knowledge of its business and operations, forward-looking statements are neither promises nor guarantees and they are necessarily subject to a high degree of uncertainty and risk. Actual performance and results may differ materially from those projected or suggested in the forward-looking statements due to various risks and uncertainties. These risks and uncertainties include, among others: the potential for initial and preliminary data from any clinical trial and initial data from a limited number of patients not to be indicative of final trial results; the potential that clinical trial results may not be favorable; that one or more of CRISPR Therapeutics internal or external product candidate programs will not proceed as planned for technical, scientific or commercial reasons; that future competitive or other market factors may adversely affect the commercial potential for CRISPR Therapeutics product candidates; uncertainties inherent in the initiation and completion of preclinical studies for CRISPR Therapeutics product candidates (including, without limitation, availability and timing of results and whether such results will be predictive of future results of the future trials); uncertainties about regulatory approvals to conduct trials or to market products; the potential impacts due to the coronavirus pandemic such as (x) delays in regulatory review, manufacturing and supply chain interruptions, adverse effects on healthcare systems and disruption of the global economy; (y) the timing and progress of clinical trials, preclinical studies and other research and development activities; and (z) the overall impact of the coronavirus pandemic on its business, financial condition and results of operations; uncertainties regarding the intellectual property protection for CRISPR Therapeutics technology and intellectual property belonging to third parties, and the outcome of proceedings (such as an interference, an opposition or a similar proceeding) involving all or any portion of such intellectual property; and those risks and uncertainties described under the heading "Risk Factors" in CRISPR Therapeutics most recent annual report on Form 10-K, quarterly report on Form 10-Q and in any other subsequent filings made byCRISPR Therapeuticswith theU.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, which are available on theSEC'swebsite atwww.sec.gov. Existing and prospective investors are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date they are made.CRISPR Therapeuticsdisclaims any obligation or undertaking to update or revise any forward-looking statements contained in this press release, other than to the extent required by law.

CRISPR THERAPEUTICS word mark and design logo, CTX001, CTX110, CTX120, and CTX130 are trademarks and registered trademarks ofCRISPR Therapeutics AG. All other trademarks and registered trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

Investor Contact: Susan Kim +1-617-307-7503 susan.kim@crisprtx.com

Media Contact: Rachel Eides WCG on behalf of CRISPR +1-617-337-4167 reides@wcgworld.com

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CRISPR Therapeutics Provides Business Update and Reports Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2020 Financial Results - GlobeNewswire