Ginkgo Bioworks to apply its mammalian cell
engineering expertise to develop new cell-based systems for
treating and monitoring endocrine disorders
BOSTON, Dec. 17,
2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Ginkgo Bioworks (NYSE:
DNA), which is building the leading platform for cell programming
and biosecurity, today announced a subcontract of up to
$9.4 million awarded in partnership
with Carnegie Mellon University to
develop bioelectronic cell-based devices aimed at diagnosing and
treating hormone disorders. This initiative is part of the Advanced
Research Projects Agency for Health's (ARPA-H) Resilient Extended
Automatic Cell Therapies (REACT) program. Ginkgo is eligible to
receive up to $9.4 million for its
work across the program.
Chronic diseases that require continuous monitoring and
treatment, such as thyroid disorders, diabetes, and obesity affect
millions globally, presenting a significant public health
challenge. Through this collaboration, Ginkgo will leverage its
industry-leading capabilities in mammalian cell engineering and
induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) engineering to create cells
that produce and deliver therapeutic molecules—such as
hormones—and/or monitor the disease status.
The Biointegrated Implantable Systems for Cell-based Sensing and
Therapy (BIO-INSYNC) project focuses on implantable bioelectronic
devices that utilize engineered cells to produce therapeutic
molecules on demand and/or to measure disease biomarkers in real
time. These devices are expected to function for at least a year
after implantation. The team will demonstrate their platform
technology using thyroid disorders, including hypo- and
hyperthyroidism, as sample diseases. The systems will measure the
levels of thyroid hormones and/or produce the required dose of
thyroid hormones. The patient and the healthcare provider can
monitor disease and control drug delivery status remotely using a
smartphone.
"This is an exciting opportunity to support Carnegie Mellon's team on ARPA-H's REACT program,"
said Jesse Dill, Business
Development Lead at Ginkgo Bioworks. "Chronic diseases that
require continuous management cause a high public health burden,
and bioelectronic devices like those targeted in the REACT program
have the potential to unlock new, convenient ways to monitor and
treat these conditions. We are excited to apply our expertise in
mammalian cell engineering and iPSC-derived tissue differentiation
to this challenge, in partnership with our team members."
Mike Nehil, Senior Director of
Mammalian Engineering at Ginkgo Bioworks, added, "Our advanced
capabilities in mammalian cell engineering make us a strong partner
for academic-led teams aiming to push the boundaries of medical
innovation. We look forward to contributing to this significant
project and advancing our iPSC platform."
"We are thrilled to partner with Ginkgo Bioworks on this
groundbreaking initiative," said Dr. Burak Ozdoganlar, Ver
Planck Endowed Chair Professor of Mechanical Engineering at
Carnegie Mellon University, who leads
the BIO-INSYNC project. "By combining our expertise in
bioelectronics and tissue engineering with Ginkgo's leading cell
engineering platform, we aim to create transformative therapies
that could redefine the management of hormone disorders. This
multidisciplinary project will also include researchers from the
University of Pittsburgh, University of
Florida, and University of
California—Santa Cruz."
This partnership underscores Ginkgo's commitment to
collaborating with academic institutions and innovative funding
agencies to address complex health challenges. By participating in
this groundbreaking program, Ginkgo plans to further develop and
demonstrate its capabilities in engineering mammalian cell systems
to treat complex diseases.
To learn more about how you can bring innovative biological
solutions to life, please visit our page for Ginkgo Cell Therapy
Services.
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.
GINKGO BIOWORKS INVESTOR
CONTACT:
investors@ginkgobioworks.com
GINKGO BIOWORKS MEDIA
CONTACT:
press@ginkgobioworks.com
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, Ginkgo's most recent quarterly
report on Form 10-Q, 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.
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