Partnership recognizes the importance of global cooperation
to prevent and respond to pandemics
By leveraging Ginkgo's large-scale biosecurity platform and
Qatar's pioneering investments in
biotechnology, collaboration aims to build new biosecurity
capabilities and accelerate the establishment of a global pathogen
monitoring network
BOSTON and DOHA,
Qatar, May 18, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Ginkgo
Bioworks (NYSE: DNA), the leading horizontal platform for cell
programming, and First Serv, a Qatari investment holding company,
today announced that they have entered into a non-binding
Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to develop and implement new
biosecurity capabilities in Qatar.
The partners to the MOU recognize the importance of international
collaboration and cooperation to effectively prevent and respond to
biological threats in this global age. The initial goal of the
partnership is to establish Doha
as a critical node of a global pathogen monitoring network, given
its important position as a worldwide travel hub. Effective early
detection capabilities and sharing of information can empower
officials and community leaders to make informed local and global
public health decisions.
Ginkgo, through its biosecurity and public health initiative,
Concentric by Ginkgo, provides pathogen monitoring capabilities
across thousands of sites including schools, airports, and other
congregate settings. The network includes partnerships with
laboratories, couriers, and healthcare providers and has been
successful in providing COVID-19 testing services across the U.S.
The partnership with First Serv in Qatar marks a significant milestone in
Ginkgo's international expansion as it continues to scale its
biosecurity offerings.
Qatar is ideally positioned to
become a key node in the global pathogen surveillance network of
the future given its role as an international travel hub. Paired
with Ginkgo's operational and technical expertise in large-scale
pathogen monitoring, First Serv plans to develop critical
infrastructure to detect emerging pathogens, thereby helping to
secure the local community and economy, as well as advancing
biosecurity around the world. Ginkgo's growing international
efforts aim to expand their existing pathogen monitoring network on
a global scale to provide support and information to leaders
seeking to manage future public health crises.
"Biosecurity in this new era is about applying the cutting edge
tools of the biotech age to prevent the next pandemic or infectious
disease threat. Proactive pathogen monitoring is an essential part
of this effort—we need a robust global weather map to identify and
track emerging biological threats," said Matt McKnight, General Manager, Biosecurity at
Ginkgo Bioworks. "We are incredibly excited by the opportunity to
use our biosecurity platform to help bolster Qatar's pathogen monitoring infrastructure to
assist Doha's global travel hub in
becoming a leader in helping prepare the world for the next new
variant or novel pathogen."
Sheikh Sultan Jassim Al Thani,
Chairman at First Serv said, "As the COVID-19 pandemic transitions
to an endemic phase, the world needs a new industry built around
next-generation biosecurity. We are excited about our plans to
partner with Ginkgo in support of their market-leading capabilities
in this sector. We believe Qatar
is uniquely placed to provide a significant biosecurity service to
the world, beginning with this effort."
About Ginkgo Bioworks
Ginkgo is building a platform to
enable customers to program cells as easily as we can program
computers. The company's platform is enabling biotechnology
applications across diverse markets, from food and agriculture to
industrial chemicals to pharmaceuticals. Ginkgo has also actively
supported a number of COVID-19 response efforts, including K-12
pooled testing, vaccine manufacturing optimization and therapeutics
discovery. For more information, visit www.ginkgobioworks.com.
About First Serv
Incorporated in 2019, First Serv is a
wholly owned Qatari registered company used by H.E. Sheikh
Sultan Jassim Al Thani to manage his
Qatari/Gulf-based investments. Sheikh Sultan Jassim Al Thani invests in diverse
business interests including construction, manufacturing, real
estate development, hospitality, marketing, and advertising.
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 Ginkgo's plans to enter into a partnership with First
Serv, the potential success and objectives of such 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) the effect of Ginkgo's business combination with
Soaring Eagle Acquisition Corp. ("Soaring Eagle") on Ginkgo's
business relationships, performance, and business generally, (ii)
risks that the business combination disrupts current plans of
Ginkgo and potential difficulties in Ginkgo's employee retention,
(iii) the outcome of any legal proceedings that may be instituted
against Ginkgo related to its business combination with Soaring
Eagle, (iv) volatility in the price of Ginkgo's securities now that
it is a public company 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, changes in laws and regulations affecting
Ginkgo's business and changes in the combined capital structure,
(v) the ability to implement business plans, forecasts, and other
expectations after the completion of the business combination, and
identify and realize additional opportunities, (vi) the risk of
downturns in demand for products using synthetic biology, (vii) the
unpredictability of the duration of the COVID-19 pandemic and the
demand for COVID-19 testing and the commercial viability of our
COVID-19 testing business, and (viii) changes to the biosecurity
industry, including due to advancements in technology, emerging
competition and evolution in industry demands, standards and
regulations. 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 16, 2022 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
FIRST SERV MEDIA CONTACT:
moataz@firstservt.com
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SOURCE Ginkgo Bioworks