Synthego and Vita Therapeutics Announce Strategic Licensing Agreement for hfCas12Max CRISPR Nuclease

REDWOOD CITY, CA

Synthego and Vita Therapeutics, Inc. today announced a licensing agreement to integrate Synthego’s high-fidelity hfCas12Max CRISPR system into Vita's cell therapeutic programs. This nonexclusive sublicense grants Vita Therapeutics access to the engineered hfCas12Max nuclease and optimized hfCas12Max guide RNAs for use in preclinical and clinical applications, including in potential commercialized therapeutics. 

"With the integration of hfCas12Max, Vita Therapeutics can accelerate the development of their hypoimmunogenic cell therapies, paving the way for life-changing treatments to reach patients sooner," said Craig Christianson, CEO of Synthego. "Our goal is to make therapeutic CRISPR solutions more accessible by removing traditional bottlenecks with reduced upfront licensing fees and a lower total IP cost as the therapy advances."

Synthego introduced the hfCas12Max CRISPR system in 2024, the first in its portfolio of high-fidelity nucleases designed specifically for therapeutic applications. "With encouraging early performance data, Vita Therapeutics plans to leverage hfCas12Max to develop hypoimmunogenic master cell banks (MCBs), which will serve as a critical platform for advancing our iPSC-based therapies for neuromuscular disorders. We’re excited about this partnership and the impact it can have on the patients we’re hoping to treat" said Douglas Falk, CEO of Vita Therapeutics. 

With the recent addition of eSpoT-ON, offered in both recombinant protein and mRNA formats, Synthego continues to elevate its high-fidelity nuclease portfolio, delivering new opportunities for therapeutic advancement. 

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