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Sumitomo Chemical Subscribes for Shares of PeptiStar in Private Placement
in Efforts to Enhance High-Purity Long-Chain gRNA Supply Capacity
Nov. 11, 2024
Sumitomo Chemical Co., Ltd. (“Sumitomo Chemical”) is pleased to announce that it has acquired shares of PeptiStar Inc. (“PeptiStar”) in a private placement. The investment has been completed. Through this capital alliance, Sumitomo Chemical will work to further enhance its capacity to ensure a stable supply of high-purity long-chain guide RNA (gRNA) *1, while integrating Sumitomo Chemical’s and PeptiStar’s technologies to meet diversifying customer needs.
PeptiStar was founded in 2017 to engage in the research and development, manufacturing, and sales of peptide pharmaceutical active ingredients *2. Leveraging its extensive expertise, PeptiStar entered the business of contract manufacturing of nucleic acid drug substances *3 in 2021.
Sumitomo Chemical began its nucleic acid drug substance contract manufacturing business in 2013. The Company established the world’s first technology to chemically synthesize and produce at scale the high-purity gRNA necessary for genome editing therapies *4, and, in August 2023, started operations at a new manufacturing plant in Oita, Japan. Through these efforts, Sumitomo Chemical has enhanced its gRNA contract manufacturing capacity. In addition, to meet increasing demand for gRNA, the Company has recently partnered with PeptiStar to establish a dual-site production system by licensing its large-scale production technology and utilizing PeptiStar’s facilities.
This capital alliance aims to further deepen the partnership between Sumitomo Chemical and PeptiStar. Going forward, Sumitomo Chemical will work with PeptiStar to advance manufacturing technologies for conjugates that combine nucleic acids and peptides.
Sumitomo Chemical will continue to strive to consolidate its position as a frontrunner in the manufacturing of nucleic acid drug substances, particularly high-purity long-chain gRNA, in anticipation of market expansion.
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Dual-site production system established at PeptiStar’s facilities (left) and Sumitomo Chemical’s plant at its Oita Works (right) to meet increasing demand
*1 RNA molecules used for the CRISPR Cas9 genome editing technology, designed to target specific DNA sequences. The gRNA guides Cas9, an enzyme that cuts DNA, to the target DNA sequence to edit genomes. It is characterized by having a longer chain than typical nucleic acid pharmaceuticals.
*2 Peptide pharmaceuticals are pharmaceuticals that use peptides (compounds consisting of chains of fewer than 50 amino acids) as active ingredients.
*3 Nucleic acid drugs are pharmaceuticals based on nucleic acids (DNA or RNA), and they can act directly and highly selectively on RNA, which is difficult to target with conventional pharmaceuticals.
*4 World’s first technology to produce at scale gRNA with an approximately 90% purity, as of October 4, 2021, the date of Sumitomo Chemical’s news release referenced below. This statement is based on research conducted by Sumitomo Chemical.
Reference
Sumitomo Chemical nucleic acid drug substance information site
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Sumitomo Chemical Co., Ltd.
Corporate Communications Dept.
https://www.sumitomo-chem.co.jp/english/contact/public/