The companies plan to join forces to set up
pathogen monitoring programs utilizing Illumina technology across
Concentric's global network
BOSTON and SAN
DIEGO, Jan. 15, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Concentric
by Ginkgo, the biosecurity and public health unit of Ginkgo
Bioworks (NYSE: DNA), which is building the leading platform for
cell programming and biosecurity, today announced that it has
entered into a Co-Marketing Agreement with Illumina, Inc. (Nasdaq:
ILMN), a global leader in DNA sequencing and array-based
technologies, to partner on expanding biosecurity capabilities
globally.
Concentric is building a global pathogen monitoring network—a
"bioradar" system —in countries around the world to detect,
characterize, and rapidly respond to biological threats and help
drive informed decision-making in support of global health
objectives. With over a dozen countries actively scoping and
hosting biosecurity programs with Concentric's platform of
integrated services, the bioradar network can serve to bolster
national security and early warning capabilities for countries.
Illumina is a global leader in DNA sequencing and array-based
technologies, serving customers in the research, clinical, and
applied markets. Illumina offers a range of leading next-generation
sequencing instruments, consumables, and software to understand
pathogens in ways not previously possible. These solutions can be
leveraged to interrogate many different types of specimens, to
enable stakeholders with a full understanding of circulating
threats.
Under the agreement, the partners aim to demonstrate the use of
Illumina products with Concentric's bioradar, to accelerate the
expansion of the pathogen monitoring network in a way that empowers
countries, as well as increase the scale and scope of pathogen
genomic surveillance globally. Concentric and Illumina will work
together to market their solutions, with the aim to enhance early
warning of emerging and novel pathogens and fill gaps in global
biosurveillance infrastructure.
"Without sustained investments in global early detection, we
remain deeply vulnerable to the next novel pathogen threat. Through
this relationship with Illumina, Concentric aims to accelerate
deployment of our early warning and bioradar programs for
governments worldwide as they seek to modernize defenses against
biological threats," said Matt
McKnight, General Manager for Biosecurity at Ginkgo
Bioworks. "Sustained genomic monitoring capacity is urgently needed
to drive risk identification and collective response ahead of
potential pandemics and emerging biothreats."
The shared goal is to help build local capacity for
biosurveillance to empower countries rather than having to
outsource biosecurity to unreliable third parties. Together,
Concentric and Illumina are working to help ensure that nations
worldwide are equipped and empowered, locally and sustainably.
"We now have the sequencing solutions available to ask valuable
and complex questions of samples, to really understand the nature
of circulating pathogens with a holistic, comprehensive approach,"
said Luke Hickey, Vice President of
Marketing at Illumina. "Illumina is proud to partner with
Concentric by Ginkgo to empower countries to protect the health of
their citizens from infectious threats."
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's biosecurity and public
health unit, Concentric by Ginkgo, is building global
infrastructure for biosecurity to empower governments, communities,
and public health leaders to prevent, detect and respond to a wide
variety of biological threats. For more information, visit
ginkgobioworks.com and concentricbyginkgo.com, read our blog, or
follow us on social media channels such as X (formerly known as
Twitter) (@Ginkgo and @ConcentricByGinkgo), Instagram
(@GinkgoBioworks and @ConcentricByGinkgo), Threads
(@GinkgoBioworks), or 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 biosecurity 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) our ability to realize the
expected benefits of merger and acquisition transactions, (vii) the
outcome of any legal proceedings against Ginkgo, including as a
result of recent acquisitions, (viii) our ability to realize the
expected benefits from and the success of our Foundry platform
programs, (ix) our ability to successfully develop engineered
cells, bioprocesses, data packages or other deliverables, and (x)
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 November 8, 2023 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 MEDIA CONTACT:
press@ginkgobioworks.com
GINKGO INVESTOR
CONTACT:
investors@ginkgobioworks.com
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SOURCE Ginkgo Bioworks