On September 26, 2025, Factor Bioscience Inc. ("Factor") filed a complaint against Cellectis Inc., Cellectis SA, AstraZeneca PLC, AstraZeneca Ireland Limited, and AstraZeneca Holdings B.V., alleging infringement of Factor's U.S. Patent Nos. 10,662,410, 10,829,738, and 10,982,229. The case was filed in the District Court for the District of Delaware.
Factor's patents relate to the delivery and use of the TALEN gene editing system, including the use of synthetic mRNA to deliver TALENs into cells. TALENs are engineered proteins designed to selectively target and cut DNA, allowing for targeted gene editing of almost any DNA sequence of interest. Factor alleges that Cellectis's use of TALENs in its CAR-T and hematopoietic stem cell gene-editing programs infringes each of Factor's patents. Factor alleges that it notified Cellectis of its intellectual property rights in 2013, and Cellectis subsequently altered its research program to incorporate Factor's patented technology without seeking a license. Factor further contends that Cellectis used its research program based on Factor's patented technology as the basis for its licenses and development partnerships, including with AstraZeneca. Additionally, Factor argues that the use of its intellectual property by Cellectis contributed to a significant equity investment in Cellectis by AstraZeneca.
According to Factor Co-Founder, Chairman and CEO Dr. Matt Angel, "[Factor is] taking this action to protect [its] intellectual property and our ability to continue to innovate in this incredibly important area of drug development. [] If large multinationals can illegally leverage the research and innovation of companies like Factor, it will have a chilling effect on future innovations."
Stay tuned to Big Molecule Watch for further updates on this litigation.
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