Eurostars-3 grant supports development of SafeGuide to reduce time and cost in CRISPR therapeutic design

Broken String Biosciences and BioLizard have joined forces to develop SafeGuide, an AI-driven tool designed to accelerate the design of safer gene-editing therapies by improving the selection of guide RNAs (gRNAs). The project has received $935,000 in funding through the Eurostars-3 program, part of the European Partnership on Innovative SMEs and co-funded by Horizon Europe.

SafeGuide combines Broken String’s INDUCE-seq platform—which detects both on- and off-target DNA breaks at high resolution—with BioLizard’s expertise in AI and bioinformatics. The goal is to build a predictive model that recommends gRNAs with high efficacy and minimal risk of unintended edits, potentially reducing reliance on costly and time-intensive lab testing.

According to the companies, current processes for gRNA design often involve trial-and-error experimentation over 12 to 24 months, contributing to the high cost of gene-edited therapies. SafeGuide aims to address this by using AI to analyse genomic break patterns and distinguish between natural and editing-induced events.

“By using AI to predict and distinguish natural and unnatural DNA break patterns, human intervention is significantly reduced, while safety increases,” said Felix Dobbs, CEO at Broken String Biosciences.

Broken String’s INDUCE-seq platform is already used by gene editing companies to verify on-target activity and detect potentially harmful off-target edits. The company recently launched its Catalyst Early Access Program to enable developers to run the technology in their own labs.

Liesbeth Ceelen, CEO at BioLizard, added that the new tool will “significantly reduce the need for extensive off-target screening, ultimately accelerating gene editing development and reducing R&D costs.”

SafeGuide remains in early development, but the collaboration is positioned as a step toward improving the safety profile of next-generation gene editing tools, including CRISPR-based therapeutics.