Touchlight signs patent license agreement with Pfizer for the use of dbDNA for the manufacture of mRNA-based vaccines, therapeutics and gene therapies

• Pfizer and Touchlight agree to patent license for Pfizer to utilise rapid, scalable, enzymatic doggybone DNA (dbDNA) in Pfizer’s clinical and commercial manufacture of its mRNA vaccines, therapeutics, and gene therapies
• Agreement includes upfront payment, potential development and commercial milestone payments, and royalties upon commercialization
• Access to dbDNA patent rights enables Pfizer’s rapid production of DNA template as starting materials for mRNA-based vaccines and other therapeutics

Hampton, UK, – 6 July, 2022 – Touchlight, a biotechnology company pioneering enzymatic DNA production to enable the genetic medicine revolution, today announces a non-exclusive patent license agreement with Pfizer.

Under the license agreement, Pfizer gains rights to Touchlight’s enzymatic doggybone DNA (dbDNA™) patent portfolio for worldwide use in Pfizer’s manufacture and commercialisation of its messenger RNA-based vaccines, therapeutics and gene therapies. Touchlight will receive an upfront payment, as well as clinical and commercial milestone payments and royalties upon commercialisation.

Touchlight’s patented dbDNA technology produces a minimal, linear, double stranded, covalently closed DNA vector through an enzymatic manufacturing process. dbDNA is uniquely positioned for the rapid, synthetic, and scalable manufacture of GMP DNA using a small, simple footprint. The technology can manufacture genes >20kb and accommodate sequences typically unstable as plasmid DNA in E. coli, such as those found in viral vector and mRNA production. In addition to mRNA vaccines, it is ideally suited for the development of DNA vaccines, advanced therapies, and more.

Jonny Ohlson, Founder and Executive Chair, Touchlight, commented: “We are delighted to establish this agreement with Pfizer to license our mRNA manufacturing platform. This agreement is an example of our technology’s potential to enable companies across the genetic medicine sector to simplify and accelerate DNA manufacturing through the clinic and towards commercialisation.”

Financial terms are not disclosed.

Access a PDF version of the press release here

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About Touchlight

Touchlight is a privately-owned CDMO based in London, U.K., focused on the provision of DNA services and manufacture of enzymatically produced doggybone DNA (dbDNA™) to enable the development of genetic medicines. Touchlight provide rapid, enzymatic DNA development and manufacturing for all advanced therapy production, including mRNA, viral and non-viral gene therapy and DNA API. dbDNA is a minimal, linear, covalently closed structure, which eliminates bacterial sequences. Touchlight’s revolutionary enzymatic production platform enables unprecedented speed, scale, and the ability to target genes with a size and complexity that is impossible with current technologies. Clients can be supported from pre-clinical through development and supply, to licencing and tech transfer for use in-house.

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