Revvity has unveiled its groundbreaking Pin-point base editing platform reagents, providing researchers with unparalleled access to implement the advanced gene editing technique in their preclinical laboratories.
Base editing represents a pivotal advancement in CRISPR gene editing, providing the capability for complex and safe multi-gene editing, which can result in enhanced functional genomics insights for optimising drug development, as well as streamlining cell line and cell therapy development and manufacturing. The Pin-point platform is one of the few established base editing technologies currently being employed in clinical settings, positioning it as both a discovery and therapeutic tool.
Michelle Fraser, head of cell and gene therapy at Revvity, underscores the importance of providing broad access to this technology: "Base editing has been extensively demonstrated in numerous studies to safely and precisely control the correction of single base changes at multiple target sites, simultaneously. This streamlined approach simplifies complex multi-gene editing, holding great promise for the development of new cell therapies targeting rare inherited genetic diseases, cancer, and in the creation of universal donor cells as the foundation of allogeneic cell therapies."
The initial reagents launch includes mRNAs for nCas9 and rat APOBEC, as well as three guide RNAs designed to knockout the TRAC, CD52 and PDCD1 loci. These reagents have undergone extensive validation and have demonstrated their performance in T-cells and induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs). Furthermore, Revvity offers the flexibility of ordering custom guides for other targets through its Dharmacon custom gRNA ordering tool for the Pin-point base editing platform, supporting diverse research applications.
The introduction of Pin-point base editing reagents signifies a stride toward democratising access to base editing. Until now, base editing reagents were either custom ordered by end users or obtained by non-profit laboratories as individual components. However, with the newly launched reagents, scientists now have the ability to fully evaluate the Pin-point base editing platform in-house.
Alan Fletcher, senior vice president of life sciences at Revvity, emphasises the importance of bridging the gap between discovery, diagnosis and cure: "In an era where the lines between precision and personalised medicine are increasingly blurred, translating genomic insights into clinically relevant actions is pivotal for us to expedite tomorrow's groundbreaking therapies and drive innovation from target identification to cure. Revvity is uniquely poised to drive these translational breakthroughs by offering accessible technologies like the Pin-point platform that seamlessly span the journey from discovery to therapy."
Furthering that aim, Revvity announced earlier this year it entered into a non-exclusive license agreement with AstraZeneca, granting access to its Pin-point base editing technology to help advance the biopharma company’s work in cell therapy for the treatment of cancer and immune-mediated diseases.
