To scale up its production of brazzein,
GreenLab will leverage its proprietary technology to grow
proteins inside corn kernels, optimizing its process with Ginkgo's
Plant Trait Services, Protein Services, and Deployment
Capabilities
JONESBORO, Ark. and BOSTON, May 7, 2024
/PRNewswire/ -- GreenLab, an emerging next generation
plant-biotechnology company producing complex proteins in corn, and
Ginkgo Bioworks (NYSE: DNA), which is building the leading platform
for cell programming and biosecurity, today announced a new
partnership. Together, GreenLab and Ginkgo aim to enable production
of brazzein, a sweet-tasting protein found in the fruit of the
native West African Oubli plant, at commercial scale. The two
companies have previously partnered on a project to develop an
enzyme for GreenLab's PFAS degradation application.
The global sugar replacement market is growing due to increased
consumer demand. Sugar substitutes can help manage obesity, but
some artificial sweeteners have been linked to various health
issues including heart disease. Novel sweeteners — like brazzein,
which has a sweetness factor up to 2,000 times greater than sucrose
— can be used as natural substitutes for sugar in products across
the food and beverage industry.
GreenLab hopes to revolutionize the sweetener industry with
brazzein. Its proprietary technology allows it to grow enzymes and
other proteins inside of corn kernels. By producing proteins in a
cultivated crop, GreenLab can readily scale production across acres
of cornfields, with little additional up-front capital and
infrastructure. After the protein of interest is extracted from the
kernel with minimal waste, most of the corn used will then proceed
along the existing value chain, including food, feed or fuel.
Thanks to its proprietary technology, GreenLab currently has two
transformative enzymes in commercial production, including
manganese peroxidase and laccase, and has already successfully
grown corn containing brazzein.
GreenLab is leveraging Ginkgo's capabilities to scale up its
production of brazzein in three ways:
- One, using Ginkgo Plant Trait Services to improve
GreenLab's expression of brazzein in the corn kernel to achieve
economically-competitive levels.
- Two, using Ginkgo Protein Services to express brazzein
in a microbial chassis via precision fermentation.
- And three, using Ginkgo Deployment Capabilities to
develop downstream processes to purify brazzein from both the corn
kernel and fermentation broth.
By pursuing these pathways to brazzein production, GreenLab
intends to be the preeminent supplier of brazzein to food and
beverage companies, all while reducing market and technical
risk.
Karen Wilson, CEO of
GreenLab: "GreenLab is eager to work with Ginkgo on this novel
go-to-market strategy. By using Ginkgo Plant Trait Services,
Protein Services and Deployment Capabilities we will be able to
satisfy the demand for brazzein in the market with less risk using
Ginkgo's success based pricing model. Our existing partnership with
Ginkgo has enabled this unique R&D approach for a product
(brazzein) that the market desperately wants."
Sneha Srikrishnan, Senior
Director of Business Development and Product Lead, Proteins, at
Ginkgo Bioworks: "Our existing relationship with GreenLab has
had many positive outcomes, so it made sense to continue working
together! We're thrilled to build upon our partnership and get
started on this new program."
Brennan Duty, Senior Director
of Business Development and Product Lead, Plant Traits, at Ginkgo
Bioworks added: "Together, we aim to unlock the full potential
of brazzein and help create healthier alternatives to traditional
sweeteners. We look forward to getting to work and combining
Ginkgo's expertise in protein expression and optimization in plants
and microbes alike with GreenLab's innovative approach to plant
biotechnology."
Learn more about Ginkgo's Plant Trait Services, Protein
Services, and Deployment Capabilities.
About Ginkgo Bioworks
Ginkgo Bioworks is the leading horizontal platform for cell
programming, providing flexible, end-to-end services that solve
challenges for organizations across diverse markets, from food and
agriculture to pharmaceuticals to industrial and specialty
chemicals. Ginkgo Biosecurity is building and deploying the
next-generation infrastructure and technologies that global leaders
need to predict, detect, and respond to a wide variety of
biological threats. For more information, visit ginkgobioworks.com
and ginkgobiosecurity.com, read our blog, or follow us on social
media channels such as X (@Ginkgo and @Ginkgo_Biosec), Instagram
(@GinkgoBioworks), Threads (@GinkgoBioworks), or LinkedIn.
About GreenLab
GreenLab's mission is to green industry with next-generation
plant biotechnology. Our platform transforms a cornfield into the
factory of the future. We deliver on biotech's promise of
next-generation proteins, end-to-end sustainability and unlimited
scalability. GreenLab currently has two patented proteins growing
in corn that are already in commercial production and is seeking
partners who need to improve the cost, scale or environmental
footprint of their protein biomanufacturing. Learn more at
www.greenlab.com, or follow us on X as @GreenLabMfg or on
LinkedIn.
Forward-Looking Statements of Ginkgo Bioworks
This press release contains certain forward-looking statements
within the meaning of the federal securities laws, including
statements regarding the capabilities and potential success of the
partnership and Ginkgo's cell programming platform. These
forward-looking statements generally are identified by the words
"believe," "can," "project," "potential," "expect," "anticipate,"
"estimate," "intend," "strategy," "future," "opportunity," "plan,"
"may," "should," "will," "would," "will be," "will continue," "will
likely result," and similar expressions. Forward-looking statements
are predictions, projections and other statements about future
events that are based on current expectations and assumptions and,
as a result, are subject to risks and uncertainties. Many factors
could cause actual future events to differ materially from the
forward-looking statements in this press release, including but not
limited to: (i) volatility in the price of Ginkgo's securities due
to a variety of factors, including changes in the competitive and
highly regulated industries in which Ginkgo operates and plans to
operate, variations in performance across competitors, and changes
in laws and regulations affecting Ginkgo's business, (ii) the
ability to implement business plans, forecasts, and other
expectations, and to identify and realize additional business
opportunities, (iii) the risk of downturns in demand for products
using synthetic biology, (iv) the uncertainty regarding the demand
for passive monitoring programs and biosecurity services, (v)
changes to the biosecurity industry, including due to advancements
in technology, emerging competition and evolution in industry
demands, standards and regulations, (vi) the outcome of any pending
or potential legal proceedings against Ginkgo, (vii) our ability to
realize the expected benefits from and the success of our Foundry
platform programs, (viii) our ability to successfully develop
engineered cells, bioprocesses, data packages or other
deliverables, and (ix) the product development or commercialization
success of our customers. The foregoing list of factors is not
exhaustive. You should carefully consider the foregoing factors and
the other risks and uncertainties described in the "Risk Factors"
section of Ginkgo's annual report on Form 10-K filed with the U.S.
Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") on February 29, 2024 and other documents filed by
Ginkgo from time to time with the SEC. These filings identify and
address other important risks and uncertainties that could cause
actual events and results to differ materially from those contained
in the forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements speak
only as of the date they are made. Readers are cautioned not to put
undue reliance on forward-looking statements, and Ginkgo assumes no
obligation and does not intend to update or revise these
forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information,
future events, or otherwise. Ginkgo does not give any assurance
that it will achieve its expectations.
GINKGO BIOWORKS INVESTOR
CONTACT:
investors@ginkgobioworks.com
GINKGO BIOWORKS MEDIA
CONTACT:
press@ginkgobioworks.com
GREENLAB CONTACT:
Stephen
Lallo
SLallo@greenlab.com
401-465-5418
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SOURCE Ginkgo Bioworks