WILMINGTON, DE — ChristianaCare has launched DECODR, Inc. as a standalone commercial venture to expand distribution of a gene-editing analysis platform already used by thousands of researchers working in biotechnology, drug development, and academic laboratories.
The spinout reflects a broader push by healthcare systems and research institutes to commercialize internally developed technologies tied to the rapidly growing CRISPR and gene-editing sector, where demand for scalable data analysis tools has increased alongside investment in cell and gene therapies.
DECODR originated within ChristianaCare’s Gene Editing Institute and focuses on software that analyzes DNA changes produced through CRISPR editing.
The platform uses Sanger sequencing data to identify insertions, deletions, and other DNA repair outcomes following gene editing, allowing researchers to evaluate whether CRISPR modifications worked as intended.
According to the company, more than 5,000 registered users across universities, nonprofit organizations, biotechnology firms, and contract research groups have used the platform. Researchers had processed more than 1.7 million files through the software as of March 2026.
The company indicated the software has gained traction partly because it relies on standard sequencing methods already widely used in research laboratories, potentially reducing costs and workflow complexity compared with more advanced sequencing approaches.
Research published in journals including Nature’s Scientific Reports and The CRISPR Journal evaluated the software’s performance in measuring gene-editing outcomes.
The platform is used in areas including gene therapy development, agricultural biotechnology, translational research, and contract development and manufacturing operations supporting CRISPR-based therapeutics.
“DECODR, Inc. shows how patient-focused science can lead to tools that change an entire field,” Gene Editing Institute Executive Director Eric Kmiec said. Kmiec will also serve as chief executive officer of the new company.
The software traces its origins to a 2019 internship project involving Rohan Kanchana, then a student at Newark Charter School, who developed the first version of the platform while working at the institute.
Kanchana later graduated from Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 2025 with a physics degree and now serves as chief software engineer and a director of DECODR, Inc.
The company indicated the spinout structure will allow faster product development, expanded commercial support, and broader distribution of the platform across research and commercial markets.
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