Founded in 2017, Exonics Therapeutics is a biotechnology company that develops gene editing technologies including CRISPR/Cas9 to correct genetic mutations resulting in neuromuscular diseases such as Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD), a severe form of muscular dystrophy that occurs in 1 out of 3,500 to 5,000 boys worldwide. A UT Southwestern researcher co-founded this company based on research from his lab. Vertex Pharmaceuticals, a global biotechnology company investing in transformative medicines for life-threatening diseases, acquired this company in 2019 for a total deal value of approximately $1 billion. The acquisition will help accelerate drug development for Duchenne muscular dystrophy and Myotonic Dystrophy Type 1.