April 25 (Reuters) - Regeneron Pharmaceuticals ( REGN )

and Mammoth Biosciences will collaborate to research, develop

and commercialize gene editing therapies for multiple diseases,

the companies said on Thursday.

Mammoth's CRISPR-based gene editing platform and Regeneron's

delivery technologies will be used to create disease-modifying

medicines that can be delivered to tissues beyond the liver.

CRISPR, discovered by Jennifer Doudna and CRISPR

Therapeutics co-founder Emmanuelle Charpentier, uses

molecular "scissors" to trim faulty parts of genes that can then

be disabled or replaced with new strands of normal DNA.

In 2023, the U.S. FDA approved five gene therapies,

including a sickle cell disease treatment from Vertex

Pharmaceuticals ( VRTX ) and CRISPR Therapeutics that uses the

latter's gene editing technology.

Regeneron joins drugmakers Bayer and Vertex

Pharmaceuticals ( VRTX ) in striking partnership deals with

Mammoth for development of gene therapies.

Mammoth, which was founded by Doudna, will receive $100

million in total upfront payment and equity investment from

Regeneron and could receive up to $370 million per therapy in

development, regulatory and commercial milestone payments.

The parties will jointly select and research for the

therapies, and then Regeneron will lead development and

commercialization.