"Gene Editing Tools to Be Utilized in Social Fields as Well"

Caszyme CEO "Climate Change Could Also Affect Food"

[Asia Economy Reporter Youngwon Kim] Genome editing technology is expected to be utilized not only in the fields of medicine and agriculture but also in social sectors.

Monika Paule, CEO of Caszyme, a Lithuanian company developing CRISPR-Cas9 based research tools, stated at BioPlus-InterPhex Korea 2022 (BIX 2022) that "Although genome editing has many fundamental scientific aspects, it can actually be applied in a wide variety of fields in terms of applications."

Genome editing is a technology that cuts DNA sequences at specific locations to remove unnecessary base fragments or insert desired fragments. It is gaining attention as a treatment method for cancers or genetic diseases that were previously difficult or impossible to treat. The third-generation genome editing tool, CRISPR, was awarded the Nobel Prize in 2020.

CEO Monika explained, "(Genome editing) is receiving a lot of interest from a social perspective as well, for example in microorganisms, diagnostic devices, and therapeutics," adding, "It can also be used for diagnosing infectious diseases that are currently causing significant social impact."

Potentially, even broader possibilities were suggested. CEO Monika said, "I often get asked, 'Can CRISPR really save humanity from the climate crisis?' and I believe 'it can,'" adding, "It can be used to protect endangered species or develop food for humanity."

Caszyme was founded by biochemist Virginijus ?ik?nys, who was the first to demonstrate that CRISPR can be used to precisely cut double-stranded DNA. Currently, the company creates gene editors tailored to clients' application fields and develops research services. CEO Monika said, "We call ourselves a 'research department,'" and added, "In a way, we can be seen as an R&D department working for other clients."

Caszyme has also commercialized nucleases other than Cas9. According to the company, the 'Novel Type V nucleases' excel in length and stability and are mainly used in therapeutics.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.