The advances include optimized prime editing guides RNA (pegRNA), which were shown in recent research published online in Nature Biotechnology to significantly improve the editing process for gene targets, according to the company (Nature Biotechnology, October 4, 2021).

In addition, Prime Medicine said that it is pursuing recently described strategies for improving efficiency by modulating a specific DNA repair pathway: the mismatch repair pathway. Research published in Cell revealed that this pathway can substantially enhance prime editing efficiency, according to the vendor (Cell, October 14, 2021).

By modulating the mismatch repair pathway through several approaches, editing activity could be increased severalfold and undesired byproducts could be decreased, Prime Medicine said.

The company said it holds commercial rights from the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard University to use the Prime Editing technology for human therapeutic applications. Scientists and other companies around the world continue to use Prime Editing for research and other applications, Prime Medicine said.