Agreement gives KU Leuven’s Leuven Viral Vector Core access to foundational CRISPR/Cas9 intellectual property, supporting genome editing services for academic and industry researchers worldwide

DUBLIN, and LEUVEN, Belgium, Oct. 22, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — ERS Genomics Limited (‘ERS Genomics’), the CRISPR licensing company, today announced that it has signed a non-exclusive license agreement with KU Leuven covering CRISPR/Cas9 activities at the Leuven Viral Vector Core (LVVC), a core facility of KU Leuven.

The agreement grants KU Leuven worldwide access to ERS Genomics’ foundational CRISPR/Cas9 patent portfolio for research tools and reagents, CRISPR-modified cells and animal models for laboratory research, and services that support drug target identification and validation, compound screening and preclinical research. Through this license, the LVVC can combine CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing with its viral vector expertise to offer engineered cell models and related services to researchers in academia and industry.

The LVVC provides customized viral vector technologies and services to support biomedical research and preclinical development. Through this agreement, the LVVC will expand its service portfolio with CRISPR/Cas9-mediated genome engineering, including the generation of customized cellular disease models and engineered induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) lines using viral vector-based delivery platforms. These capabilities will support a broad range of research applications, including disease modeling, functional genomics, target validation, and preclinical development.

Rik Gijsbers, Professor Advances Disease Modelling, Target Drug Discovery and Gene Therapy, KU Leuven, said: “At the LVVC, we are committed to providing researchers with state-of-the-art technologies that accelerate scientific discovery and translational research. This license enables us to integrate CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing with our extensive expertise in viral vector development and delivery, providing academic and industrial partners with access to robust, high-quality genome engineering tools and services.”

CRISPR/Cas9 is a transformative genome editing technology that enables precise and efficient modification of DNA. As genome editing becomes increasingly embedded in research workflows, from disease modelling to target validation, licensed access to foundational intellectual property is an essential step toward securing freedom to operate.

John E. Milad, Chief Executive Officer, ERS Genomics, said: “CRISPR is the most widely used genome editing technology in biomedical research and drug discovery, and its applications keep growing. KU Leuven’s Leuven Viral Vector Core is putting that technology directly in researchers’ hands, pairing CRISPR/Cas9 with its deep viral vector expertise. We’re pleased to support LVVC with licensed access to the foundational CRISPR/Cas9 IP as it expands its services to academic and industry partners.”

ERS Genomics provides access to the pioneering CRISPR/Cas9 intellectual property developed by Dr. Emmanuelle Charpentier and her collaborators. Through its streamlined licensing program, ERS Genomics enables companies and institutions worldwide to access foundational patents covering the use of CRISPR/Cas9 technology across research and commercial applications.

About ERS Genomics

ERS Genomics provides access to the foundational CRISPR/Cas9 intellectual property estate (the ‘CVC Patents’) co-owned by Nobel Laureate Professor Emmanuelle Charpentier, who, together with Dr Jennifer Doudna, was awarded the 2020 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for developing CRISPR/Cas9 gene-editing technology. The CVC portfolio represents the most comprehensive and widely granted collection of foundational CRISPR/Cas9 patents globally, more than 130 issued patents, including over 50 in the US, encompassing over 1,400 claims across all cell types.

Derived from a bacterial immune defence system, CRISPR/Cas9 is a precise, efficient tool for editing DNA in living organisms that has transformed research across genetics, biotechnology, and molecular biology.

ERS Genomics offers non-exclusive licenses to the CVC Patents for research and commercial applications outside the direct use of CRISPR as a human therapeutic. These licenses provide essential freedom to operate for organizations working with CRISPR/Cas9 across a wide range of fields, including: life sciences research tools, reagents, and services, discovery of novel therapeutic targets, development of engineered cell lines and animal models for drug screening, bioproduction of antibodies and therapeutic proteins, animal and agricultural biotechnology, synthetic biology, including production of enzymes, food ingredients, and bio-based chemicals.

Current ERS licensees include GSK, Merck, Bayer, Thermo Fisher Scientific, Corteva, Danaher, PerkinElmer, Charles River Laboratories, and Cargill. For more information, visit www.ersgenomics.com.

About KU Leuven

KU Leuven is Belgium’s largest university and one of Europe’s leading research-intensive universities. Founded in 1425, KU Leuven combines high-quality education with pioneering research across a broad range of disciplines, including life sciences, engineering, health, and technology. Through close collaboration with academic, clinical, and industrial partners worldwide, KU Leuven is committed to advancing scientific knowledge and translating research excellence into societal and economic impact.

The LVVC is a state-of-the-art academic core facility at KU Leuven providing viral vector and genome engineering services to researchers worldwide. Operating in a fully equipped BSL2+ environment, LVVC specializes in the production of retroviral, lentiviral and recombinant AAV vectors, as well as virus-like particles (VLPs), supporting applications ranging from basic research and disease modelling to translational and preclinical studies. For more information, visit www.lvvc.be.

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SOURCE ERS Genomics

The first exchange-traded fund under Swiss law to invest directly in bitcoin, approved for retail investors in Switzerland

ZURICH, Oct. 22, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — BIT Asset Management AG (“BIT AM”), the wholly owned Swiss asset management subsidiary of BIT (www.bit.com), announced that the Swiss Financial Market Supervisory Authority (FINMA) has approved the Bitcoin Fund ETF (Ticker: BBIT). As confirmed in FINMA’s announcement, it is the first exchange-traded fund in Switzerland to invest directly in bitcoin. It is currently Europe’s only spot bitcoin ETF.

The fund is expected to begin trading on SIX Swiss Exchange in November.

Bitcoin Fund ETF (BBIT)

A spot bitcoin ETF is designed to track the price of bitcoin and can be traded through an ordinary brokerage account. It holds bitcoin directly rather than futures or derivatives. This is the structure that brought bitcoin into mainstream portfolios in the United States, where BlackRock’s iShares Bitcoin Trust (IBIT) and ten other spot bitcoin ETFs launched in January 2024.

Most bitcoin products listed in Europe today are exchange-traded products (ETPs), which are debt instruments that carry issuer risk. The Bitcoin Fund ETF is instead a Swiss collective investment scheme. Its assets are held separately from those of the fund management company and are ring-fenced for investors. The fund is open to retail investors in Switzerland, not only qualified investors.

“Switzerland has established itself as a leading hub for digital assets, combining a strong financial sector, regulatory clarity and an innovative ecosystem,” said John Ge, CEO of BIT Group. “For BIT Group, this makes Switzerland a natural choice for our continued international expansion. Launching the first Swiss Bitcoin ETF is an important milestone for us, reflecting our long-term commitment to the Swiss market and our ambition to bridge traditional finance with emerging technologies.”

“With BBIT, we set out to create a truly Swiss Bitcoin ETF, from fund management and custody to its listing on SIX Swiss Exchange. Investors gain direct exposure to Bitcoin through a FINMA-approved Swiss investment fund, benefiting from the regulatory oversight and investor protections of Switzerland’s established collective investment scheme framework.” said Dominik Oggenfuss, CEO of BIT Asset Management. “Investors can now access bitcoin through an ordinary Swiss bank account, with Swiss fund governance, independent custody and daily transparency on holdings.”

Disclaimer: Investing in the Bitcoin Fund ETF involves a high degree of risk, and you may lose all of your capital. The fund is classified under the Swiss regulatory category “Other alternative investment funds” with particular risk and invests exclusively in Bitcoin, which is extremely volatile. The investment fund risks are not comparable to those of securities funds, and temporary borrowing may increase its total risk exposure to a maximum of 125% of its net asset value. Investors should read the fund documentation and risk warnings before investing. The fund is approved for public offering in Switzerland only. This announcement is for information only and is not an offer or solicitation in any jurisdiction. It is not directed at persons in the US or at U.S. persons.

About BIT Asset Management

BIT Asset Management AG is a Zurich-based manager of collective assets regulated by FINMA, and a wholly owned subsidiary of BIT. Formerly Crypto Finance (Asset Management) AG, it was acquired in full by the Group in 2024 and renamed Matrixport Asset Management AG before taking its current name. It offers regulated funds, exchange-traded products, actively managed certificates and discretionary asset management services, bridging traditional finance and digital assets. The company is led by CEO Dominik Oggenfuss.

About BIT

Founded in 2019 as Matrixport, BIT is an all-in-one digital asset platform headquartered in Singapore. It offers trading, investment, payment, custody and real-world asset tokenization. Through its subsidiaries, BIT holds Trust or Company Service Provider and Money Lender licences in Hong Kong, Major Payment Institution license in Singapore, and a FINMA licence as a manager of collective assets in Switzerland. Through its subsidiaries, BIT operates as an Appointed Representative in the UK, is registered as a Money Services Business in the US and is a member of the Swiss self-regulatory organisation VQF.

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/bit-asset-management-receives-finma-approval-for-switzerlands-first-and-europes-only-spot-bitcoin-etf-302916555.html

SOURCE BIT Asset Management AG

The first exchange-traded fund under Swiss law to invest directly in bitcoin, approved for retail investors in Switzerland

ZURICH, Oct. 22, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — BIT Asset Management AG (“BIT AM”), the wholly owned Swiss asset management subsidiary of BIT (www.bit.com), announced that the Swiss Financial Market Supervisory Authority (FINMA) has approved the Bitcoin Fund ETF (Ticker: BBIT). As confirmed in FINMA’s announcement, it is the first exchange-traded fund in Switzerland to invest directly in bitcoin. It is currently Europe’s only spot bitcoin ETF.

The fund is expected to begin trading on SIX Swiss Exchange in November.

Bitcoin Fund ETF (BBIT)

A spot bitcoin ETF is designed to track the price of bitcoin and can be traded through an ordinary brokerage account. It holds bitcoin directly rather than futures or derivatives. This is the structure that brought bitcoin into mainstream portfolios in the United States, where BlackRock’s iShares Bitcoin Trust (IBIT) and ten other spot bitcoin ETFs launched in January 2024.

Most bitcoin products listed in Europe today are exchange-traded products (ETPs), which are debt instruments that carry issuer risk. The Bitcoin Fund ETF is instead a Swiss collective investment scheme. Its assets are held separately from those of the fund management company and are ring-fenced for investors. The fund is open to retail investors in Switzerland, not only qualified investors.

“Switzerland has established itself as a leading hub for digital assets, combining a strong financial sector, regulatory clarity and an innovative ecosystem,” said John Ge, CEO of BIT Group. “For BIT Group, this makes Switzerland a natural choice for our continued international expansion. Launching the first Swiss Bitcoin ETF is an important milestone for us, reflecting our long-term commitment to the Swiss market and our ambition to bridge traditional finance with emerging technologies.”

“With BBIT, we set out to create a truly Swiss Bitcoin ETF, from fund management and custody to its listing on SIX Swiss Exchange. Investors gain direct exposure to Bitcoin through a FINMA-approved Swiss investment fund, benefiting from the regulatory oversight and investor protections of Switzerland’s established collective investment scheme framework.” said Dominik Oggenfuss, CEO of BIT Asset Management. “Investors can now access bitcoin through an ordinary Swiss bank account, with Swiss fund governance, independent custody and daily transparency on holdings.”

Disclaimer: Investing in the Bitcoin Fund ETF involves a high degree of risk, and you may lose all of your capital. The fund is classified under the Swiss regulatory category “Other alternative investment funds” with particular risk and invests exclusively in Bitcoin, which is extremely volatile. The investment fund risks are not comparable to those of securities funds, and temporary borrowing may increase its total risk exposure to a maximum of 125% of its net asset value. Investors should read the fund documentation and risk warnings before investing. The fund is approved for public offering in Switzerland only. This announcement is for information only and is not an offer or solicitation in any jurisdiction. It is not directed at persons in the US or at U.S. persons.

About BIT Asset Management

BIT Asset Management AG is a Zurich-based manager of collective assets regulated by FINMA, and a wholly owned subsidiary of BIT. Formerly Crypto Finance (Asset Management) AG, it was acquired in full by the Group in 2024 and renamed Matrixport Asset Management AG before taking its current name. It offers regulated funds, exchange-traded products, actively managed certificates and discretionary asset management services, bridging traditional finance and digital assets. The company is led by CEO Dominik Oggenfuss.

About BIT

Founded in 2019 as Matrixport, BIT is an all-in-one digital asset platform headquartered in Singapore. It offers trading, investment, payment, custody and real-world asset tokenization. Through its subsidiaries, BIT holds Trust or Company Service Provider and Money Lender licences in Hong Kong, Major Payment Institution license in Singapore, and a FINMA licence as a manager of collective assets in Switzerland. Through its subsidiaries, BIT operates as an Appointed Representative in the UK, is registered as a Money Services Business in the US and is a member of the Swiss self-regulatory organisation VQF.

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/bit-asset-management-receives-finma-approval-for-switzerlands-first-and-europes-only-spot-bitcoin-etf-302916555.html

SOURCE BIT Asset Management AG