UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, DC 20549
FORM 8-K
CURRENT REPORT Pursuant
to Section 13 or 15(d) of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934
Date of report (Date of earliest event reported): November 30, 2004
SANGAMO BIOSCIENCES, INC.
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(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Its Charter)
Delaware
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(State or Other Jurisdiction of Incorporation)
000-30171 68-0359556
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(Commission File Number) (IRS Employer Identification No.)
501 Canal Blvd, Suite A100 Richmond, California 94804
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(Address of Principal Executive Offices) (Zip Code)
(510) 970-6000
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(Registrant's Telephone Number, Including Area Code)
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(Former Name or Former Address, if Changed Since Last Report)
Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to
simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the
following provisions (see General Instruction A.2. below):
|_| Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act
(17 CFR 230.425)
|_| Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17
CFR 240.14a-12)
|_| Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the
Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))
|_| Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the
Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))
Item 8.01 Other Events
On November 30, 2004, Sangamo BioSciences Inc. issued a press release
announcing that the company had been granted a United States patent (U.S. Patent
No. 6,824,978) entitled "Regulation of Endogenous Gene Expression in Cells Using
Zinc Finger Proteins." The patent covers the activation or repression of any
endogenous gene in any cell or organism using engineered zinc finger DNA-binding
proteins (ZFPs) and broadens Sangamo's coverage of the uses of engineered ZFPs
to include delivery of ZFP Therapeutics as recombinant proteins.
A copy of the press release issued by Sangamo BioSciences, Inc. relating to the
issuing of this patent is filed as an exhibit to this Current Report on Form
8-K.
Item 9.01 Financial Statements and Exhibits
(c) Exhibits. The following material is filed as an exhibit to this Current
Report on Form 8-K:
Exhibit No.
99.1 Press Release Issued November 30, 2004.
SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the
Registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the
undersigned hereunto duly authorized.
DATE: November 30, 2004
SANGAMO BIOSCIENCES, INC.
By: /s/ EDWARD O. LANPHIER II
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Edward O. Lanphier II
President, Chief Executive Officer
Exhibit 99.1
Sangamo BioSciences Granted U.S. Patent Covering Protein Formulations of
Engineered Zinc Fingers
Claims Broaden Sangamo's Coverage to Include the Delivery
of Protein-Based ZFP Therapeutics
RICHMOND, Calif., Nov. 30 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Sangamo BioSciences,
Inc. (Nasdaq: SGMO) today announced that it has been granted a United States
patent entitled "Regulation of Endogenous Gene Expression in Cells Using Zinc
Finger Proteins." The patent covers the activation or repression of any
endogenous gene, in any cell, in any organism using engineered zinc finger
DNA-binding proteins (ZFPs) and broadens Sangamo's patent coverage of the uses
of engineered ZFPs to include delivery of ZFP Therapeutics as recombinant
proteins. Similar patents have been granted or allowed in the European Union
and Australia and counterpart applications are pending worldwide.
"The granting of this patent strengthens and complements Sangamo's
existing preeminent intellectual property portfolio covering the design and
engineering of ZFPs and their use in gene regulation," said Edward Lanphier,
Sangamo's president and chief executive officer. "These issued claims cover
our ability to deliver ZFPs to cells and organisms either as a gene or as a
protein, whichever formulation is the most therapeutically useful and
appropriate."
Zinc finger DNA-binding proteins (ZFPs) are the dominant class of
naturally occurring transcription factors in organisms from yeast to humans.
Transcription factors, which are found in the nucleus of every cell, bind to
DNA to regulate gene expression. Though there are many kinds of transcription
factors, only zinc finger DNA-binding proteins are amenable to engineering and
precise targeting to a particular gene or genes of interest. Since the
over-expression or under-expression of individual genes is the basis for many
diseases, the ability to regulate genes with engineered ZFPs has enormous
potential therapeutic benefit. Although the sequences of many therapeutically
relevant genes have been patented as isolated or purified sequences, a major
advantage of Sangamo's unique technology is that it regulates endogenous
cellular genes and is consequently independent of such patents.
The inventions covered by this patent (U.S. Patent No. 6,824,978) were
made by Sangamo scientists.
About Sangamo
Sangamo BioSciences, Inc. is focused on the research and development of
novel DNA-binding proteins for therapeutic gene regulation and modification.
The company's most advanced therapeutic development program, currently in a
Phase I clinical trial, involves the use of transcription factors for the
treatment of peripheral artery disease. Other therapeutic development
programs are focused on diabetic neuropathy, ischemic heart disease,
congestive heart failure, cancer, neuropathic pain, and infectious and
monogenic diseases. Sangamo's core competencies enable the engineering of a
class of DNA-binding proteins known as zinc finger DNA-binding proteins
(ZFPs). By engineering ZFPs that recognize a specific DNA sequence Sangamo
has created ZFP transcription factors (ZFP TFs) that can control gene
expression and, consequently, cell function. Sangamo is also developing
sequence-specific ZFP-Nucleases (ZFNs) for therapeutic gene modification as a
treatment and possible cure for a variety of monogenic diseases such as sickle
cell anemia and for infectious diseases such as HIV. For more information
about Sangamo, visit the company's web site at www.sangamo.com or
www.expressinglife.com.
This press release may contain forward-looking statements based on
Sangamo's current expectations. These forward-looking statements include,
without limitation, references to the research and development of novel ZFP
TFs and applications of Sangamo's ZFP TF technology platform. Actual results
may differ materially from these forward-looking statements due to a number of
factors, including technological challenges, Sangamo's ability to develop
commercially viable products and technological developments by our
competitors. See the company's SEC filings, and in particular, the risk
factors described in the company's Annual Report on Form 10-K and its most
recent 10-Q. Sangamon BioSciences, Inc. assumes no obligation to update the
forward-looking information contained in this press release.
SOURCE Sangamo BioSciences, Inc.
-0- 11/30/2004
/CONTACT: Elizabeth Wolffe, Ph.D. of Sangamo BioSciences, Inc.,
+1-510-970-6000, ext. 271, ewolffe@sangamo.com; or media, Kathy Jones-Nugent,
or investors, John Nugent, both of Burns McClellan, Inc., +1-212-213-0006/
/Web site: http://www.expressinglife.com /
/Web site: http://www.sangamo.com /
(SGMO)
CO: Sangamo BioSciences, Inc.
ST: California
IN: HEA BIO MTC
SU: