Sojitz intends to use its extensive network to
help Ginkgo foster business connections within the Japanese
bioeconomy
TOKYO and BOSTON, May 14, 2024
/PRNewswire/ -- Sojitz, a large Japanese general trading company
with extensive networks within the Japanese bioeconomy, and Ginkgo
Bioworks (NYSE: DNA), which is building the leading platform for
cell programming and biosecurity, today announced that they
have entered into a binding definitive agreement. Together, Sojitz
and Ginkgo aim to build connections with key Japanese businesses
and encourage the use of synthetic biology to develop sustainable
production processes.
Sojitz Corporation and Ginkgo will collaborate in a joint
business development effort to offer Ginkgo's R&D services to
Japanese customers. Sojitz believes Ginkgo's unique synthetic
biology research and development services will appeal to customers
within the Japanese bioeconomy that are looking to replace
petroleum and chemical-based manufacturing processes with bio-based
ones.
The Japanese government has formulated a Bioeconomy
Strategy that envisions a $837
billion (USD) bioeconomy, and is looking to develop
biotechnology applications across industries as it pursues
its climate commitments to reach net zero by 2050. Ginkgo
hopes to apply its platform in support of the Japanese biotech
ecosystem to accelerate progress to achieving this vision.
Koji Izutani, Managing
Executive Officer, Sojitz: "We are pleased to introduce
Ginkgo's technology to Japanese companies that have a desire to
reduce their carbon footprint and develop sustainable fermentation
processes. We are confident that Ginkgo's expertise in synthetic
biology and the breadth of its technology platform can be used to
transform processes across various Japanese industries, including
industrial biotechnology."
Ena Cratsenburg, Chief
Business Officer, Ginkgo: "We're thrilled to join efforts
with Sojitz and collaborate on bolstering the Japanese bioeconomy.
Sojitz is a well respected trading company that has extensive
relationships with many of the major industrial and chemical
companies in Japan. We look
forward to working with Japanese companies to leverage our
synthetic biology platform to accelerate the development and launch
of bio-based and sustainable products in Japan."
Ginkgo's co-founder, Tom Knight,
will present at the SusHi Tech Tokyo 2024 conference on
May 15th at 12pm Japan Standard Time, where he will further
discuss the collaboration with Sojitz.
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 Sojitz
Sojitz Corporation was formed out of the
union of Nichimen Corporation and Nissho Iwai Corporation, both
companies that boast incredibly long histories. For more than 160
years, our business has helped support the development of countless
countries and regions. Today, the Sojitz Group consists of
approximately 400 subsidiaries and affiliates located in
Japan and throughout the world,
developing wide-ranging general trading company operations in a
multitude of countries and regions.
GINKGO BIOWORKS INVESTOR
CONTACT:
investors@ginkgobioworks.com
GINKGO BIOWORKS MEDIA
CONTACT:
press@ginkgobioworks.com
SOJITZ CONTACT:
Sojitz Corporation Public Relations
Dept.
hodo@sojitz.com
Website, https://www.sojitz.com/en/
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 quarterly report on Form 10-Q filed with the
U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") on May 9, 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.
View original content to download
multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/sojitz-corporation-and-ginkgo-bioworks-announce-plans-to-use-synthetic-biology-rd-services-to-accelerate-sustainable-manufacturing-in-japan-302144953.html
SOURCE Ginkgo Bioworks