28 May 2021 - - US-based gene editing company Metagenomi has received an award from the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation to identify and evaluate novel gene editing systems for the development of therapeutics to treat cystic fibrosis, the company said.

Cystic fibrosis is a progressive, genetic disease that causes persistent lung infections and limits the ability to breathe over time.

In cystic fibrosis patients, mutations in the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator gene cause the CFTR protein to become dysfunctional.

According to the terms of the award, Metagenomi will work to leverage its proprietary metagenomics database to screen and characterize novel gene editing systems with high on-target specificity that are suitable for in vivo gene editing at therapeutically relevant sites in the CFTR gene.

Other terms of the award have not been disclosed.