BOSTON– Broken String Biosciences and BioLizard have announced a new collaboration to develop SafeGuide, an AI-based tool aimed at improving the safety and efficiency of gene editing therapies such as CRISPR.
Supported by a $935,000 grant from the Eurostars-3 program, the project combines Broken String’s genomic analysis platform with BioLizard’s expertise in artificial intelligence. The goal is to streamline the selection of guide RNAs (gRNAs)—the components that direct gene-editing tools to specific DNA targets—by using AI to predict the safest and most effective sequences.
Currently, identifying suitable gRNAs is a slow and costly process that often requires extensive trial-and-error testing in labs. Developers can spend one to two years validating guide RNAs, contributing to the high cost of gene-edited therapies, which can exceed $4 million per patient.
SafeGuide aims to change that. Broken String will provide high-resolution data from its INDUCE-seq® platform, which maps both intended (on-target) and unintended (off-target) DNA breaks with precision. BioLizard will use this data to train machine learning models that recommend gRNAs with strong efficacy and minimal off-target effects.
“This collaboration with BioLizard will set a new standard for safety in genome editing,” said Felix Dobbs, CEO of Broken String Biosciences. “By using AI to predict and distinguish natural and unnatural DNA break patterns, human intervention is significantly reduced, while safety increases.”
BioLizard CEO Liesbeth Ceelen added that the new tool will reduce the need for labor-intensive off-target screening and help accelerate the development timeline for gene therapies.
INDUCE-seq is already being used by drug developers to evaluate the accuracy of gene editing. Broken String recently launched an early access program called Catalyst, which allows gene therapy companies to use the platform in-house for rapid analysis.
The SafeGuide project is backed by the Eurostars program, a transnational R&D funding initiative supported by the EU’s Horizon Europe and 37 partner countries.
