Concentric by Ginkgo and Illumina collaborate to deploy biosurveillance technologies around the world

Rhea-AI Summary

Concentric by Ginkgo, the biosecurity unit of Ginkgo Bioworks, has entered into a Co-Marketing Agreement with Illumina, Inc. to set up pathogen monitoring programs using Illumina technology. The goal is to expand biosecurity capabilities globally and build a global pathogen monitoring network to detect, characterize, and respond to biological threats. The partnership aims to empower countries by enhancing early warning of emerging and novel pathogens and building local capacity for biosurveillance.

Epidemiologist

The strategic partnership between Concentric by Ginkgo and Illumina has significant implications for global health security. The collaboration aims to enhance the capacity for pathogen genomic surveillance, which is crucial in identifying and responding to infectious disease threats. By integrating Illumina's advanced sequencing technologies with Concentric's bioradar system, there is potential to improve the speed and accuracy of disease detection and characterization.

This is particularly important as the world continues to grapple with the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, highlighting the need for robust surveillance systems to prevent future outbreaks. The deployment of these advanced biosecurity measures can lead to more timely interventions and potentially save lives by containing threats before they escalate.

Furthermore, the focus on building local capacity for biosurveillance addresses a critical gap in many countries' defenses against biological threats. By empowering nations to conduct their own monitoring, the reliance on external resources is reduced, thereby enhancing national security and self-sufficiency in biosecurity.

Healthcare Policy Analyst

The agreement between Concentric by Ginkgo and Illumina represents a proactive approach to healthcare policy and biosecurity. The initiative can influence policies by setting a precedent for international cooperation in health security initiatives. It underscores the importance of investment in infrastructure that can rapidly identify and mitigate biological threats.

From a policy perspective, the partnership may encourage governments to allocate more resources towards biosecurity and public health preparedness. The success of such programs could lead to policy shifts that prioritize continuous monitoring and rapid response mechanisms as part of a country's healthcare strategy.

Moreover, the initiative's emphasis on local capacity building aligns with the broader policy goals of strengthening healthcare systems and ensuring equitable access to health technologies. This can reduce disparities in health security and promote a more coordinated global response to emerging pathogens.

Market Research Analyst

This co-marketing agreement could have a substantial impact on the business strategies of both Concentric by Ginkgo and Illumina. For Illumina, the partnership extends the application of its DNA sequencing technologies to the public health domain, potentially opening up new markets and revenue streams. The demand for pathogen monitoring and biosecurity solutions is likely to grow, given the heightened awareness of pandemic risks.

For Concentric by Ginkgo, leveraging Illumina's technology enhances its service offerings and competitive edge in the biosecurity space. The expansion of the bioradar network is likely to attract interest from governments and international health organizations, leading to potential contracts and collaborations.

The partnership could also influence the stock market perception of both companies, potentially increasing investor confidence in their growth prospects. The focus on biosecurity and genomic surveillance is a growing niche and companies that are at the forefront of such innovations are well-positioned to benefit from increased interest in this sector.

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

What is the Co-Marketing Agreement between Concentric by Ginkgo and Illumina, Inc. about?

The Co-Marketing Agreement aims to set up pathogen monitoring programs using Illumina technology to expand biosecurity capabilities globally.

What is the goal of Concentric by Ginkgo and Illumina, Inc. partnership?

The goal is to build a global pathogen monitoring network to detect, characterize, and respond to biological threats and enhance early warning of emerging and novel pathogens.

What is the purpose of the partnership in terms of global health objectives?

The purpose is to drive informed decision-making in support of global health objectives and help ensure that nations worldwide are equipped and empowered, locally and sustainably.

What are the key capabilities of Illumina, Inc. in this partnership?

Illumina offers leading next-generation sequencing instruments, consumables, and software to understand pathogens in ways not previously possible, which can be leveraged to interrogate many different types of specimens.

What is the focus of Concentric by Ginkgo's bioradar system?

The focus is on detecting, characterizing, and rapidly responding to biological threats to bolster national security and early warning capabilities for countries.