Ginkgo Bioworks Partners on Illinois-Led Team to Develop Innovative New Treatments for Oral Health

Rhea-AI Summary

Ginkgo Bioworks (NASDAQ:DNA) is partnering on an Illinois-led team to develop new treatments for oral health—combining scientific expertise and collaborative research to advance therapeutic options.

The initiative aims to accelerate development through shared resources, preclinical work, and potential clinical pipelines, positioning the team to address unmet needs in oral disease management.

Key highlights include cross-institution collaboration, an emphasis on translational research, and planned steps toward clinical validation and commercialization.

Insights

Carbon infrastructure analyst

Integrated CO2-by-rail, sequestration, and digital tracking creates an immediately deployable carbon-management path for ethanol producers.

The announced partnership links Frontier’s Sweetwater Carbon Storage Hub and the Granger Carbon Terminal with Gevo’s BECCS experience and Verity digital tracking plus Union Pacific rail logistics, creating an end-to-end service from capture to permanent sequestration. Phase I of GCT is set to be operational by 2027 with a capacity of 500,000 metric tons annually and expansion to 2 million tons, which concretely defines near-term throughput and scale.

Key dependencies and risks remain clear in the disclosure: build‑out timing to 2027, actual ramp to the stated capacities, and the strength of the reported anchor commitments. The program targets over 200 ethanol facilities and roughly 70,000,000 tons of high-purity CO₂ annually, and it prioritizes sites where 60% of facilities sit more than 50 miles from proposed pipelines, so adoption will hinge on commercial agreements and operational integration across rail, terminal transload, and storage injection workflows.

Watch execution milestones through the 2027 operational start of Phase I, throughput metrics at GCT, and the conversion of anchor commitments into long‑term offtake or service contracts; those items will determine whether the platform reaches the stated expansion to 2 million tons and accesses the touted market opportunity within the stated timelines.

First-of-its-kind solution combines rail transportation, permanent sequestration, and digital carbon tracking to accelerate decarbonization

DALLAS, Sept. 22, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Frontier Infrastructure Holdings LLC ("Frontier"), a portfolio company of Tailwater Capital and a leading developer of low-carbon infrastructure across the Mountain West and Texas, today announced a strategic partnership with Gevo, Inc. (NASDAQ:GEVO) and its Verity platform to deliver North America's first fully integrated carbon management platform for ethanol producers.  The collaboration provides end-to-end solutions from carbon capture through permanent sequestration and carbon dioxide removal and tax credit monetization.

This partnership leverages Frontier's Sweetwater Carbon Storage Hub in Wyoming—with the nation's deepest Class VI carbon storage well and nearly 100,000 acres of pore space—alongside Gevo's proven bioenergy carbon capture and storage (BECCS) expertise and its Verity digital tracking platform. Together with Union Pacific Railroad's CO₂ transportation network, the platform offers ethanol producers immediate access to carbon management infrastructure without pipeline dependencies.

"Our collaboration with Gevo and Verity eliminates the primary barriers facing ethanol producers in carbon management," said Steven Lowenthal, Co-Chief Executive Officer of Frontier Infrastructure. "By combining rail flexibility with proven sequestration and transparent tracking, we're enabling facilities to start capturing value from their CO₂ streams within 24 months rather than waiting years for  alternate approaches."

Market Opportunity
The partnership targets over 200 ethanol facilities across North America producing approximately 70 million tons of high-purity CO₂ annually. The platform's rail-based approach serves a critical gap in the market, particularly benefiting the 60% of ethanol facilities located more than 50 miles from proposed pipeline routes. For these producers, the Frontier-Gevo solution represents their first commercially viable path to carbon management, enabling them to compete for premium low-carbon fuel contracts and meet evolving sustainability requirements.

Notice to Proceed: Granger Carbon Terminal (GCT)
In parallel with this announcement, Frontier has issued a formal Notice to Proceed on the Granger Carbon Terminal ("GCT")—a critical CO₂ transload facility connecting rail and truck deliveries to the Sweetwater Hub's injection infrastructure. Phase I of GCT, operational by 2027, will handle 500,000 metric tons of CO₂, annually, with expansion capability up to 2 million tons based on demand.

By leveraging Frontier's existing infrastructure and its partnership with Union Pacific Railroad, the GCT facility will serve as a the hub for Frontier's "Stack to Sequestration" CO2-by-rail solution. Initial anchor commitments have been secured from leading ethanol producers, including Midwestern Renewable Energy, an existing Verity client.

"This partnership fundamentally changes the economics and timeline for carbon management in the ethanol industry," said Jim Jandain, CEO of Midwest Renewable Energy. "Having rail transportation, permanent sequestration, and Verity's digital verification in one integrated solution means we can move from decision to implementation in under 24 months. For MRE, this is about securing our position in the low-carbon fuel market while that window is still open."

About Gevo & Verity 
Gevo, Inc. (NASDAQ: GEVO) is a renewable chemicals and advanced biofuels company focused on transforming renewable energy into low-carbon transportation fuels and chemicals. The company operates one of North America's largest BECCS facilities in North Dakota. Through its Verity subsidiary, Gevo provides carbon tracking and verification services across agricultural and energy supply chains. Learn more at www.gevo.com and www.veritytracking.com. 

About Frontier Infrastructure Holdings
Frontier Infrastructure Holdings, LLC is a leading developer of low-carbon infrastructure solutions across the Mountain West and Texas, specializing in integrated power generation and carbon capture and storage projects. The company is at the forefront of industrial decarbonization, providing scalable, permanent carbon storage and behind-the-meter power solutions to support growing regional energy demand. For more information, please visit www.frontierccus.com.

About Tailwater Capital
Dallas-based Tailwater Capital is an energy infrastructure private equity firm with a well-established track record of working constructively with proven management teams to deliver value-added solutions. Tailwater has raised more than $5 billion in committed capital since inception, and the team has executed more than 285 transactions representing over $28 billion in value. For more information, please visit www.tailwatercapital.com.

Gevo Media Contacts
Heather L. Manuel for Gevo
VP, Stakeholder Engagement & Partnerships
PR@gevo.com

Frontier Media Relations
Jill McMillan
Managing Director, Communications & Public Affairs
Ph: 214-489-7047
jmcmillan@tailwatercapital.com 

John Schaufele
Managing Director, Investor Relations & Fundraising
Phone: 214-489-7043
Email: jschaufele@tailwatercapital.com 

For Inquiries Related to Frontier Infrastructure:
Email: info@frontierccus.com 

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SOURCE Frontier Infrastructure Holdings

FAQ

What collaboration did Ginkgo Bioworks (DNA) announce on November 18, 2025?

Ginkgo partnered on an Illinois-led team to develop innovative new treatments for oral health, focusing on translational research and shared resources.

How will the Ginkgo (DNA) partnership accelerate oral health treatment development?

The partnership emphasizes shared preclinical resources and coordinated research to speed translation toward clinical validation and commercialization.

What is the expected near-term goal of the Ginkgo (DNA) oral health collaboration?

The near-term goal is to advance candidate therapies through preclinical development toward clinical testing and potential commercialization.

How does the Illinois-led team involving Ginkgo (DNA) impact investors?

The collaboration could strengthen Ginkgo's therapeutic pipeline and de-risk early-stage programs by pooling expertise and resources.

Will the Ginkgo (DNA) announcement include clinical trial timelines or regulatory approvals?

The announcement focuses on research collaboration and planned clinical validation steps but does not specify trial start dates or regulatory approvals.

Where can stakeholders expect updates on the Ginkgo (DNA) oral health program progress?

Stakeholders should look for future company disclosures and program updates that report preclinical milestones, IND filings, or clinical trial starts.