How to Use Many CRISPR Guides to Study Many Genes at Once
This patent describes a method to use a large collection of CRISPR-Cas9 guide RNAs to target and modify many different genes or DNA regions across a population of eukaryotic cells, enabling high-throughput genetic screening.
Original patent title: “Crispr-cas component systems, methods and compositions for sequence manipulation”
This patent describes a method to use a large collection of CRISPR-Cas9 guide RNAs to target and modify many different genes or DNA regions across a population of eukaryotic cells, enabling high-throughput genetic screening. Owned by Massachusetts Institute of Technology with 36 claims and 44 forward citations, and it is expected to expire in 2037.
Coverage
What does this patent actually cover?
This patent describes a system for simultaneously studying many genes in living cells using CRISPR-Cas9. It involves a "composition" (ClaimclaimA numbered sentence at the end of a patent that legally defines what the inventor owns. The most important section.Read more → 1) of eukaryotic cells, like embryonic stem cells (Claim 2), that contain a "library" of 100 or more "guide RNAs." Each guide RNA is designed to target a "unique genomic locus" (Claim 1), meaning a specific spot in the cell's DNA. When these guide RNAs are introduced into the cell population, along with the Cas9 protein (Claim 11), they can direct the Cas9 to cut or modify many different genes. For example, this system can be used to create "knockout mutations" (Claim 5) in thousands of unique genes (Claim 17) to see how each gene affects a specific "pathway" like the immune system (Claim 7) or cell division (Claim 10).
The gap
What does this patent NOT cover?
- Does not cover using CRISPR-Cas9 to target only a single specific gene in a cell, as the claimsclaimsThe numbered statements at the end of a patent that legally define what the inventor owns.Read more → require a 'library' targeting a 'plurality of target sequences' (ClaimclaimA numbered sentence at the end of a patent that legally defines what the inventor owns. The most important section.Read more → 1).
- Does not cover methods using fewer than 100 guide RNAs in the library (ClaimclaimA numbered sentence at the end of a patent that legally defines what the inventor owns. The most important section.Read more → 1 specifies '100 or more').
- Does not cover gene editing in prokaryotic cells (like bacteria) or other non-eukaryotic organisms (ClaimclaimA numbered sentence at the end of a patent that legally defines what the inventor owns. The most important section.Read more → 1 specifies 'eukaryotic cells').
- Does not cover CRISPR systems that do not use Cas9 protein, as the claimsclaimsThe numbered statements at the end of a patent that legally define what the inventor owns.Read more → specifically mention 'CRISPR-Cas9 system guide RNAs' and 'Cas9 protein' (ClaimclaimA numbered sentence at the end of a patent that legally defines what the inventor owns. The most important section.Read more → 1, Claim 11).
- Does not cover gene editing methods where the Cas9 protein is not directed by a guide RNA for sequence-specific binding (ClaimclaimA numbered sentence at the end of a patent that legally defines what the inventor owns. The most important section.Read more → 11).
These exclusions are unique to PatentBrief — derived from the actual claim language, not patent-office boilerplate.
Key facts
What made this novel
The noveltynoveltyThe requirement that an invention be different from anything publicly known before its priority date.Read more → lies in combining a large "library" of guide RNAs with a population of cells, enabling the simultaneous targeting of hundreds or thousands of unique genomic locations. This allows for parallel testing of many gene functions, rather than laboriously testing one gene at a time.
The Patent Drawing
Schematic visualization of the patent's claim structure. Hand-drawn diagrams in progress for each landmark patent.
Where you've seen this
Real-world examples
CRISPR-based drug target discovery platforms
Functional genomics screens in academic research
Research into cancer resistance mechanisms
Studies of immune system pathways
High-throughput genetic screens for essential genes
Why it matters
The bigger picture
This patent is significant because it enables large-scale, systematic studies of gene function. Before this, understanding the role of every gene in a complex biological process was incredibly difficult and time-consuming. By providing a framework for high-throughput CRISPR screening, it allows researchers to quickly identify which genes are involved in diseases, drug responses, or fundamental biological pathways. This accelerates drug discovery and basic scientific understanding.
Filed
December 11, 2017
Market context
Who's building on this
Companies in this space
The Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, where Feng Zhang is a core member, continues to be a leader in CRISPR technology development and application. Companies like Editas Medicine, CRISPR Therapeutics, and Intellia Therapeutics, founded by pioneers in the field, are developing gene-editing therapies that rely on foundational CRISPR methods, including high-throughput screening for target validation. Academic research institutions globally also extensively use these methods for basic science and drug discovery.
Market impact
This patent's underlying technology, high-throughput CRISPR screening, has profoundly impacted drug discovery and functional genomics. It enabled a new era of systematic genetic perturbation screens, allowing researchers to quickly identify genes involved in disease pathways or drug resistance. This accelerated the identification of novel drug targets and therapeutic strategies, becoming a standard tool in biotech and pharmaceutical R&D pipelines.
Claim 1 — Plain English
What this patent covers
This patent describes a system for simultaneously studying many genes in living cells using CRISPR-Cas9. It involves a "composition" (Claim 1) of eukaryotic cells, like embryonic stem cells (Claim 2), that contain a "library" of 100 or more "guide RNAs." Each guide RNA is designed to target a "unique genomic locus" (Claim 1), meaning a specific spot in the cell's DNA. When these guide RNAs are introduced into the cell population, along with the Cas9 protein (Claim 11), they can direct the Cas9 to cut or modify many different genes. For example, this system can be used to create "knockout mutations" (Claim 5) in thousands of unique genes (Claim 17) to see how each gene affects a specific "pathway" like the immune system (Claim 7) or cell division (Claim 10).
The clever bit
The novelty lies in combining a large "library" of guide RNAs with a population of cells, enabling the simultaneous targeting of hundreds or thousands of unique genomic locations. This allows for parallel testing of many gene functions, rather than laboriously testing one gene at a time.
What it does not cover
- Does not cover using CRISPR-Cas9 to target only a single specific gene in a cell, as the claims require a 'library' targeting a 'plurality of target sequences' (Claim 1).
- Does not cover methods using fewer than 100 guide RNAs in the library (Claim 1 specifies '100 or more').
- Does not cover gene editing in prokaryotic cells (like bacteria) or other non-eukaryotic organisms (Claim 1 specifies 'eukaryotic cells').
- Does not cover CRISPR systems that do not use Cas9 protein, as the claims specifically mention 'CRISPR-Cas9 system guide RNAs' and 'Cas9 protein' (Claim 1, Claim 11).
- Does not cover gene editing methods where the Cas9 protein is not directed by a guide RNA for sequence-specific binding (Claim 11).
Patent timeline
Application submitted to the patent office
Patent enters public domain
PatentBrief Score
Impact Score
Strong
Citation count
33/40
Moderately cited
Claim breadth
20/20
Very broad protection
Recency
0/20
Older than 20 years
Assignee scale
20/20
Major company or institution
PatentBrief Impact Score — based on citation count, claim breadth, recency, and assignee scale. Not a legal assessment.
Heuristic Value Estimate
What this patent might be worth
$360K – $1.2M
Midpoint $720K · 11.3 yr remaining · industry ×3.0
Heuristic only — blends forward/backward citation counts, claim scope, time remaining, litigation history, and CPC-derived industry baseline. Real valuations need a professional appraisal.
Claim text not yet imported for this patent
The original legal language
Original claims
36 claims as filed with the patent office.
Concepts involved
Citations
Patent lineage
Cite this patent
Zhang, F. How to Use Many CRISPR Guides to Study Many Genes at Once (U.S. Patent No. 20,180,305,704). U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/20180305704/crispr-cas-component-systems-methods-and-compositions-for-sequence-manipulation
Auto-generated from the patent record. Double-check author order and the issue date against the official USPTO document before submitting.
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Common Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
What does How to Use Many CRISPR Guides to Study Many Genes at Once cover?
This patent describes a method to use a large collection of CRISPR-Cas9 guide RNAs to target and modify many different genes or DNA regions across a population of eukaryotic cells, enabling high-throughput genetic screening.
Who owns patent US 20180305704?
This patent is owned by Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
When does this patent expire?
This patent is expected to expire on December 11, 2037, when the invention enters the public domain.
What is patent US 20180305704 cited by?
This patent has been cited by 44 later patents that build on its ideas.
What problem does this patent solve?
This patent is significant because it enables large-scale, systematic studies of gene function. Before this, understanding the role of every gene in a complex biological process was incredibly difficult and time-consuming. By providing a framework for high-throughput CRISPR screening, it allows researchers to quickly identify which genes are involved in diseases, drug responses, or fundamental biological pathways. This accelerates drug discovery and basic scientific understanding.
What does this patent NOT cover?
Does not cover using CRISPR-Cas9 to target only a single specific gene in a cell, as the claims require a 'library' targeting a 'plurality of target sequences' (Claim 1).
Same assignee
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