Bio Palette

The core of Bio Palette's operations is its proprietary base editing technology, which is an evolution of the CRISPR/Cas9 system. This method, referred to as "Non-Cutting" genome editing, allows for the introduction of point mutations by converting a single nucleotide base without causing a double-strand break in the DNA. This results in a more precise and efficient editing process compared to conventional gene-editing tools. The company holds exclusive licenses for two types of base editing technologies, Target-AID® and Target-G®, which were developed at Kobe University by inventors Dr. Keiji Nishida and Dr. Akihiko Kondo. Dr. Kondo, a leading expert in synthetic biology in Japan, and Dr. Nishida, who developed Target-AID, are both co-founders and board members, bringing deep scientific expertise to the company.

Bio Palette's business model revolves around applying this gene-editing capability to modify and cultivate microorganisms, creating what it terms "living medicine" to control the microbiome. The company is targeting the development of therapies for conditions related to the oral and skin microbiomes. A significant milestone was the 2019 exclusive cross-licensing agreement with U.S.-based Beam Therapeutics. Under this agreement, Bio Palette granted Beam exclusive rights to its intellectual property for human therapeutic applications (excluding microbiome therapeutics in Asia), while gaining exclusive access to Beam's foundational IP for developing microbiome-related treatments in Asia. This strategic partnership aims to solidify the competitive positions of both companies in the base editing field.

The company's initial seed funding from 2017 to 2018 totaled approximately $5.2 million, with investors including Eight Roads Ventures Japan, F-Prime Capital Partners, and ARCH Venture Partners. This was followed by a Series A financing round in September 2020, which raised approximately $9.5 million, led by JAFCO Group Co., Ltd. These funds have been directed towards accelerating research and development, including the expansion of its R&D center in Kobe to advance its work in genome editing and microbiome research. Keywords: base editing, genome editing, microbiome therapeutics, Target-AID, CRISPR, gene-edited bacteria, living medicine, microbiome control, microbial engineering, synthetic biology, Kobe University, Keiji Nishida, Akihiko Kondo, JAFCO, Eight Roads Ventures, Beam Therapeutics, genetic medicine, DNA cleavage, nucleotide conversion, point mutation