BOSTON, May 28, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, Ginkgo
Bioworks is announcing a $70MM investment from Illumina (Nasdaq:
ILMN) and existing Ginkgo investors, General Atlantic and Viking
Global Investors. This will enable Ginkgo to build the
infrastructure that could enable rapid epidemic response.
Large-scale testing is essential for slowing the spread of viruses;
for COVID-19, experts suggest millions of tests are needed per day
in the United States to control
this epidemic. Ginkgo aims to achieve unprecedented scale with its
automation capabilities, leveraging Illumina's next-generation
sequencing (NGS) technology to enable widespread testing for
COVID-19.
Originally designed for sequencing the 3 billion base pair human
genome, NGS equipment can read, process and analyze many DNA and
RNA samples in parallel on one machine. These machines can be
utilized to detect the presence of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, enabling
tens of thousands of tests to be run at the same time on equipment
the size of a washing machine. Coupled with Ginkgo's hardware and
software that is designed for the large-scale automation of
biological experiments, NGS has the potential to significantly
increase COVID-19 testing capacity, contributing to the testing
volume that many public health experts believe is necessary for
slowing the spread of the virus.
Ginkgo is deploying its resources toward building an epidemic
monitoring and diagnostic testing facility in its Boston Seaport
labs, developing processes that use Illumina's NGS technology for
large-scale testing, in addition to whole genome sequencing and
environmental monitoring. Currently in an early build phase, Ginkgo
aims to have NGS-based testing capacity available to help reopen
schools and businesses. Additionally, Ginkgo has already made its
current NGS capacity available at no cost to public health
departments across the U.S. – this NGS data is invaluable
for public health efforts, such as contact tracing and
understanding community spread. Whole genome sequencing data also
provide deep insights for global research to track the virus and
develop therapies and vaccines.
"As programmers of DNA, we recognize rapid pandemic response as
an essential technology that must be built alongside biological
engineering," said Jason Kelly, CEO
and co-founder of Ginkgo Bioworks. "The infrastructure we are
building for next-generation sequencing is critical for responding
to the current pandemic, as well as providing early detection and
response for the future."
Learn more about Ginkgo's COVID-19 response efforts.
About Ginkgo Bioworks:
Headquartered in Boston, Ginkgo Bioworks uses the most advanced
technology on the planet—biology—to grow better products. The
company's cell programming platform is enabling the growth of
biotechnology across diverse markets, from food to fragrance to
pharmaceuticals. For more information, visit
www.ginkgobioworks.com.
Ginkgo Bioworks Contact:
Kelsey Donohue
ginkgobioworks@missionnorth.com
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SOURCE Ginkgo Bioworks