In the News: Aldevron's Collaboration with Ginkgo Bioworks Yields Manufacturing Breakthrough for Vaccinia Capping Enzyme Used for Manufacturing of mRNA Vaccines

August 10, 2021 / by Aldevron

Aldevron, a leading research to GMP biomanufacturer of plasmid DNA, mRNA, and proteins, and Ginkgo Bioworks, Inc. ("Ginkgo") today announced a manufacturing breakthrough driven by their strategic partnership.

Aldevron has a successful history of manufacturing high-quality components that enable breakthroughs in the emerging field of genetic medicine. Aldevron is currently experiencing a period of rapid growth, including expanding its manufacturing facilities and adding new products to its growing catalog. Ginkgo, which recently announced a business combination with Soaring Eagle Acquisition Corp. (Nasdaq: SRNG), is building the leading platform for cell programming, enabling customers across industries to improve products and manufacturing processes for greater efficiency and sustainability.

Ginkgo and Aldevron have been working together in a partnership formed earlier this year to optimize production of mRNA vaccine components. The partnership has already resulted in significant breakthrough improvements in manufacturing yield of the vaccinia capping enzyme (VCE), a component that is often required to produce mRNA therapies and vaccines. Aldevron has the exclusive rights to the protocol conditions of the newly developed manufacturing process, which is over 10-times more efficient than the previous process.

"Aldevron's industry-leading products and services are the foundation for some of the most exciting advances in biological science today," said Jason Kelly, CEO of Ginkgo Bioworks. "This partnership represents a momentous growth opportunity for Aldevron as it continues to bolster its already expansive portfolio of products, and an exciting milestone for Ginkgo as we continue to expand our capabilities into the pharmaceutical ecosystem. Aldevron has been a great partner with us on improving VCE, which we see as a key ingredient to scaling mRNA production globally."

"I'm very excited about combining the additive strengths of Ginkgo Bioworks' development expertise and Aldevron's manufacturing horsepower to yield an optimized manufacturing method for vaccinia capping enzyme," said Tom Foti, President of Aldevron's Protein Business Unit. "Historically this enzyme has been difficult to produce, and we believe this yield breakthrough will accelerate mRNA therapeutic and vaccine development for manufacturing teams around the world."

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 is also actively supporting a number of COVID-19 response efforts, including K-12 pooled testing, vaccine manufacturing optimization and therapeutics discovery. In May 2021, Ginkgo announced a business combination with Soaring Eagle Acquisition Corp. (Nasdaq: SRNG), which, if completed, will result in Ginkgo, through a parent entity, Ginkgo Bioworks Holdings, Inc., becoming a public company. The transaction is expected to close in the third quarter of 2021, subject to regulatory and shareholder approvals, and other customary closing conditions. For more information, visit www.ginkgobioworks.com.

This press release was originally published on PR Newswire.