Ginkgo Bioworks Launches ADME Profiling Service Using Lab Automation, Offering a US-based Operation That Will Match or Beat Pricing Quotes from Chinese or Other International Vendors

Rhea-AI Summary

Ginkgo Bioworks (NYSE: DNA) has launched a new high-throughput ADME profiling service through Ginkgo Datapoints, leveraging its proprietary RAC automation technology. The service aims to accelerate small molecule drug discovery by providing cost-competitive ADME testing within the United States, matching or beating prices from international vendors, including Chinese competitors.

The service features automated workflows, rapid turnaround times, and AI-compatible datasets designed to help researchers prioritize drug candidates more efficiently. This initiative demonstrates Ginkgo's commitment to delivering affordable, high-quality services to the biopharma industry while keeping operations U.S.-based.

Positive

• Launch of competitive U.S.-based ADME testing service with price match guarantee against international vendors
• Implementation of automated workflows for faster drug discovery process
• Provision of AI-compatible, structured datasets for machine learning applications
• Strategic positioning to capture market share from international competitors

Negative

• Potential margin pressure from price matching guarantee with lower-cost international vendors

Insights

Biotech Industry Analyst

Ginkgo's new ADME service leverages automation to undercut international competitors while keeping operations US-based, strategically expanding their biopharma offerings.

Ginkgo Bioworks' launch of their automated ADME profiling service represents a strategic expansion of their biopharma services portfolio. By leveraging their RAC automation technology, Ginkgo is addressing a critical bottleneck in small molecule drug development while disrupting the current market dynamics dominated by lower-cost international providers.

The price matching guarantee against international vendors—particularly Chinese providers who typically dominate this space with lower labor costs—signals Ginkgo's confidence in their automation efficiency. This approach allows pharmaceutical companies to access domestic services without the typical cost premium, potentially eliminating concerns about data security, intellectual property protection, and supply chain reliability that come with overseas testing.

What makes this particularly significant is the AI-compatibility of their datasets. By generating structured, model-ready data, Ginkgo is positioning itself at the intersection of two powerful trends: high-throughput drug discovery and machine learning-based predictive modeling. The emphasis on "biology built for algorithms" indicates their understanding that ADME data's value multiplies when formatted for computational analysis—enabling pharmaceutical companies to train predictive models that can accelerate candidate selection and potentially reduce costly late-stage failures.

This offering complements Ginkgo's existing cell programming platform and represents a logical extension of their technology into adjacent pharmaceutical services, potentially opening new revenue streams while leveraging their core automation expertise. The move effectively positions Ginkgo as both a biosynthesis platform and a drug discovery enabler—broadening their market opportunity within the pharmaceutical value chain.

Ginkgo Bioworks launches cost-effective, high-throughput ADME profiling service to accelerate small molecule drug discovery with model-ready datasets

BOSTON, July 17, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Ginkgo Bioworks (NYSE: DNA), which is building the leading platform for cell programming and biosecurity, today announced the launch of a powerful new capability at Ginkgo Datapoints: high-throughput, low-cost ADME (Absorption, Distribution, Metabolism, and Excretion) profiling, enabled by Ginkgo's proprietary RAC automation. This new service aims to beat or match the price of Chinese or other international vendors, with all work performed in the United States.

This cutting-edge ADME service is designed to dramatically accelerate and help to de-risk the drug development pipeline for small molecules and is optimized for machine learning applications. By providing early access to rich ADME data, Ginkgo Datapoints aims to empower researchers to prioritize candidates and train predictive models with unprecedented speed and efficiency. This offering reinforces Ginkgo's commitment to providing top-tier, cost-effective services to the biopharma industry.

"We are thrilled to launch our new ADME service, which we believe will be a game-changer for drug discovery," said Jason Kelly, co-founder and CEO of Ginkgo Bioworks. "We will price match any ADME service quote you get (including from Chinese or other international vendors), though we hope to beat them on per-compound pricing out of the gate anyway. We believe our automation and scale at Ginkgo allow us to offer best-in-class pricing and quality."

Key features of the new ADME profiling service include:

• Scalable, automated workflows—the Ginkgo standard
• Cost-effective pricing built for throughput, with a price match guarantee against international vendors
• Rapid turnaround to keep pace with modern discovery cycles
• Model-ready datasets, enriched with structured metadata for AI-powered insights

This is biology built for algorithms. No more fragmented data. No more delays. Just fast, clean, AI-compatible outputs delivered at library scale.

About Ginkgo Bioworks
Ginkgo Bioworks builds the tools that make biology easier to engineer for everyone.  In addition to being the leading horizontal platform for cell programming, Ginkgo Automation sells modular, integrated laboratory automation so scientists can spend their days planning and analyzing experiments rather than pipetting in the lab.  Ginkgo Datapoints uses Ginkgo's in-house automation to generate the large lab data sets to power your AI models.  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.

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 Ginkgo's cell programming platform and Datapoints services. 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) our ability to realize near-term and long-term cost savings associated with our site consolidation plans, including the ability to terminate leases or find sub-lease tenants for unused facilities, (ii) 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, (iii) the ability to implement business plans, forecasts, and other expectations, and to identify and realize additional business opportunities, including with respect to our solutions and tools offerings, (iv) the risk of downturns in demand for products using synthetic biology, (v) the uncertainty regarding the demand for passive monitoring programs and biosecurity services, (vi) changes to the biosecurity industry, including due to advancements in technology, emerging competition and evolution in industry demands, standards and regulations, (vii) the outcome of any pending or potential legal proceedings against Ginkgo, (viii) our ability to realize the expected benefits from and the success of our Foundry platform programs and Codebase assets, (ix) our ability to successfully develop engineered cells, bioprocesses, data packages or other deliverables, (x) the product development, production or manufacturing success of our customers, (xi) our exposure to the volatility and liquidity risks inherent in holding equity interests in other operating companies and other non-cash consideration we may receive for our services, (xii) the potential negative impact on our business of our restructuring or the failure to realize the anticipated savings associated therewith and (xiii) the uncertainty regarding government budgetary priorities and funding allocated to government agencies. 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 25, 2025 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 Bioworks Contacts:

INVESTOR CONTACT:
investors@ginkgobioworks.com 

MEDIA CONTACT:
press@ginkgobioworks.com 

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SOURCE Ginkgo Bioworks

FAQ

What is the new ADME profiling service launched by Ginkgo Bioworks (DNA)?

Ginkgo Bioworks launched a high-throughput ADME profiling service that uses RAC automation to provide cost-effective testing for small molecule drug discovery, matching or beating international vendor prices while operating in the U.S.

How does Ginkgo Bioworks (DNA) plan to compete with international ADME testing vendors?

Ginkgo Bioworks offers a price match guarantee against any international vendor quotes, including Chinese providers, while maintaining U.S.-based operations and delivering high-quality, AI-compatible datasets.

What are the key features of Ginkgo Bioworks' (DNA) new ADME testing service?

The service features scalable automated workflows, competitive pricing with international price matching, rapid turnaround times, and model-ready datasets enriched with structured metadata for AI applications.

How will the new ADME service benefit drug discovery companies?

The service will help accelerate and de-risk drug development by providing early access to rich ADME data, enabling researchers to prioritize candidates and train predictive models more efficiently with AI-compatible outputs at library scale.