Casebia Therapeutics, Bayer and CRISPR Therapeutics’ joint venture, began operations in Cambridge, MA. The JV, created in December 2015, aims to discover, develop and commercialize new breakthrough therapeutics to cure blood disorders, blindness, and congenital heart disease.

Recently named, Casebia is a UK entity with its primary research base in Cambridge. Casebia has access to gene-editing technology from CRISPR Therapeutics in specific disease areas, as well as access to protein engineering expertise and relevant disease know-how through Bayer.

Casebia recently entered into a sublease agreement for approximately 33,000 sq.-ft. of lab and office space that will employ 80 people and form its primary base of operations. Casebia will be co-located with CRISPR Therapeutics and will enter the new location in early 2017. Research efforts are currently performed at Bayer and CRISPR Therapeutics R&D sites in the U.S. and Germany. An additional location on Bayer’s campus in San Francisco, Mission Bay will house research operations in hematology indications.

“We are excited to engage the broader life science community in Boston now through Casebia. As we establish and grow Casebia’s therapeutic programs, this new location will provide us with state-of-the-art infrastructure, access to the vibrant biotech environment of the Kendall Square area, and facilitate close collaboration with CRISPR Therapeutics,” said Dr. Axel Bouchon, who is serving as interim chief executive officer of Casebia.