SYNTHETIC BIOLOGY COALITION APPLAUDS U.S. SENATE FOR ADVANCING “CHIPS-PLUS”, URGES HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TO ACT QUICKLY & SEND BILL TO WHITE HOUSE

Legislation Includes Two Key Provisions: Endless Frontier Act, Bioeconomy Research & Development Act

WASHINGTON, DC—Today, the Synthetic Biology Coalition applauded the United States Senate for voting for the motion to invoke cloture for the “CHIPS-Plus” legislative vehicle (H.R. 4346) by a bipartisan vote of 64-32, setting the bill up for final Senate passage later this week.

The legislation contains two key provisions for the synthetic biology industry: the Endless Frontier Act and the Bioeconomy Research & Development Act.

The SynBio Coalition released the following statement in support of “CHIPS-Plus”:

“We are heartened to see the Senate move this important legislation forward today. By including the Endless Frontier Act and the Bioeconomy Research & Development Act, the United States’ leadership in scientific and technological innovation has received a much-needed boost, and our economy is better positioned for a safer, sustainable, productive, and competitive future. This is a huge win for our country, and we encourage the House of Representatives to pass this bill with bipartisan support. In the future, we look forward to advocating for more legislation to benefit this critical industry.”

Founded by three leading synthetic biology companies, Antheia, Geno and Ginkgo Bioworks, the SynBio Coalition is a non-partisan group of business leaders and stakeholders dedicated to advancing synthetic biology as a driver of technological innovation and economic growth. The SynBio Coalition aims to turn the U.S. into the home of the world’s most secure and technologically advanced biomanufacturing industry.

Learn more at: https://www.synbioco.com/

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SynBio Coalition Urges Bipartisan Innovation Act Conferees to Include Key Provisions in USICA Bill

WASHINGTON, DC—Today, the Synthetic Biology Coalition urged lawmakers to include important provisions in the final version of the United States Innovation and Competition Act (USICA) bill—such as the Endless Frontier Act, the Bioeconomy Research & Development Act, the Department of Commerce supply chain resilience provisions, and maintaining synthetic biology as a key technology focus area across policies.

In a letter sent to offices of the Conference Committee reconciling differences between USICA and the House’s America COMPETES Act, the Synthetic Biology Coalition argues:

“Our processes can help onshore key supply chains (e.g., advanced pharmaceutical ingredients), achieve sustainability objectives, and serve U.S. national security interests.  In fact, the Department of Defense has stated that synthetic biology ‘research has already demonstrated the potential for this field to have major effects on commodity and specialty materials, sensing, human performance, medical, and biological and chemical weapons threats and defense.

In light of synthetic biology’s broad and national security-oriented applications, China is heavily subsidizing the industry and has named it a science and technology priority in Made in China 2025 and its current five-year plan.  Thus, if we do not want to cede an advantage to a strategic competitor, the time to act is now. 

We understand that Congress has narrowed its focus from a broader Bipartisan Innovation Act to provisions that are both urgent and have broad bipartisan support.  The Endless Frontiers Act, the Bioeconomy Research & Development Act, and supply chain resilience provisions being worked on by conferees clearly qualify, and we urge you to move forward on these provisions before the end of this session of Congress.”      

Click here to read the full letter

The Synthetic Biology Coalition is a group of leading U.S. companies and universities that are creating new bio-manufacturing processes to produce medicines, foods, fuels, and industrial supply chain materials.

The Coalition was founded in April 2021 by three of America’s leading synthetic biology companies who make up the steering committee:

·   Antheia (Menlo Park, CA) is unlocking the medicinal power of nature. Its synthetic biology platform surpasses the limits of conventional drug discovery and manufacturing through a novel approach to whole-cell engineering — reconstructing complex molecules in yeast to bring to market next-generation plant-inspired medicines. Antheia’s team of scientists and technologists is headquartered in Menlo Park, California. For more information, visit www.antheia.bio.

·   Genomatica (San Diego, CA) is remaking everyday products and materials with more sustainable, high-performance ingredients, made from renewable sources like plants rather than fossil fuels. Genomatica's first commercial products and partnerships with leading industrial firms and brands are already having high impact in plastics and cosmetics, with more coming in apparel, homecare, auto parts and more. Genomatica's Innovation Center is in San Diego, California. For more information, visit www.genomatica.com. 

·   Ginkgo Bioworks (Boston, MA) 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 has also actively supported a number of COVID-19 response efforts, including K-12 pooled testing, vaccine manufacturing optimization and therapeutics discovery. For more information, visit ginkgobioworks.com.

About the SynBio Coalition Members:

·   Checkerspot (Alameda, CA & Salt Lake City, UT) designs performance materials and ingredients at a molecular level. Checkerspot’s vertically integrated WING™ Platform optimizes microalgae to biomanufacture unique oils that are turned into new materials that demonstrate improved performance properties in targeted hardgoods, textiles, personal care, and food applications and products. Checkerspot's first commercialized materials are next generation polyurethanes and textile finishes designed to improve the performance of consumer products. The company is currently commercializing performance composites engineered into skis and sold through its brand WNDR® Alpine, as well as algal oil formulated into miDori® BioWick and sold in partnership with Beyond Surface Technologies. Checkerspot's mission is to expand the palette of molecular building blocks for high performance and sustainable materials for better products. For more information, visit https://checkerspot.com/

·   Geltor (San Leandro, CA) is the company igniting what’s possible through biodesign, with the most advanced protein ingredients for beauty and personal care, food and nutrition, and beyond. Through its ingredient technologies, Geltor offers best-in-class innovation and otherwise impossible-to-source bioactives that are uniquely able to respond to changing customer needs sustainably, with unprecedented speed and precision. Geltor and its growing portfolio of biodesigned hero ingredients have been recognized for their excellence and innovation by industry leaders including CEW, Personal Care Products Council, Society of Cosmetic Chemists, and ICMAD Indie Beauty Innovators Awards. For more information, visit www.geltor.com.

·   SaponiQx (Lexington, MA) plans to be a global, integrated immune-education medicine company which is planning to develop safe and effective immunomodulators to protect the world's population from health threats. Its pipeline is led by the best-in-class QS21 Stimulon™ adjuvant already used in GSK's Shingrix™ vaccine and is expected to include a wide-ranging portfolio of saponin-based adjuvants and vaccines, including AutoSynVax™, PhosphoSynVax™, and Prophage™. For more information, visit https://saponiqx.com/.

·   Swiftscale Biologics (San Francisco, CA) provides cell-free protein synthesis for fast expression, high-throughput synthesis, and complex protein production. Swiftscale Biologics uses an innovative development and manufacturing platform that can significantly accelerate the normal timelines for translation of biologics. We rapidly transform scientific discoveries into protein products ready for human clinical trials. 

·   Solugen (Houston, TX) was founded in 2016 by Gaurab Chakrabarti, M.D., Ph.D., and Sean Hunt, Ph.D., Solugen is a specialty chemicals manufacturer and world’s first and only producer of bio-based chemical peroxide solutions that applies green chemistry principles to re-design the production of a variety of ingredients. Solugen's mission is to help the fight against climate change by creating cleaner, greener, and safer chemical processes that reduce reliance on non-renewable resources and energy-intensive manufacturing, without sacrificing safety and efficacy. For more information, visit https://www.solugen.com/.

·   Northeastern University (Boston, MA) is home to a dynamic collection of labs focused on collaborations with academic researchers and various synthetic biology industries.  Supported by several faculty working in this space, Northeastern University is leading innovative analysis and production in numerous fields of synthetic biology to support health care, therapeutics, plant-derived pharmaceuticals and cell engineering.

·   Northwestern University (Evanston, IL) is home to the Center for Synthetic Biology, a research lab that draws from the tools and concepts of physics, engineering, and computer science to explore four unique themes: cell-free systems, mammalian systems, enabling technologies, and ethics and societal impact. For more information, visit https://syntheticbiology.northwestern.edu/.

·   Oak Ridge National Laboratory (Oak Ridge, TN) is a U.S. multiprogram science and technology national laboratory sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy. The Synthetic Biology Group develops and applies principles and techniques for biosystems design in non-model organisms, biofuels crops, and associated biosystems to solve renewable energy and environmental challenges. The group focuses on engineering plants, bacteria, and fungi for a variety of applications. For more information, visit https://www.ornl.gov/group/synthetic-biology.

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SynBio Coalition Announces Synonym Biotechnologies As Newest Member

WASHINGTON, D.C. (July 8, 2022) – Today, the Synthetic Biology (SynBio) Coalition announced Synonym Biotechnologies, a New York City-based biomanufacturing company, as the newest member of the growing coalition, now representing 12 leading companies and universities nationwide.

Synonym is a financing and development platform for biomanufacturing infrastructure to enable sustainable food, materials, and energy production. Focused on resolving the biomanufacturing capacity bottleneck, Synonym is working towards establishing engineering guidelines and creating technologies for standardizing facility buildout. To bring these facilities to market, Synonym is developing a first-of-its-kind underwriting platform to assess and mitigate risks for capital allocators with the goal of lowering the cost and increasing speed-to-market for biologically synthesized products. By inaugurating biomanufacturing facilities as a new asset class, Synonym unlocks greatly needed value for both the synthetic biology ecosystem and for investors seeking exposure to next-generation sustainable infrastructure.

“We believe that as transformative as chemistry was to the 20th century, biology will be to the 21st,” said Edward Shenderovich, Co-Founder and CEO of Synonym Biotechnologies. “We are pleased to join the SynBio Coalition to support ongoing efforts to create a robust ecosystem in the United States that realizes synthetic biology’s potential, reduces our dependencies on foreign supply chains and creates more homegrown jobs in every corner of America.”

Synonym Biotechnologies joins the SynBio Coalition at an important time, as the coalition continues to advocate for passage of key legislation, such as the Bipartisan Innovation Act (S.1260) to provide funding for synthetic biology research and development. This bill, currently being negotiated by House and Senate conferees to reconcile differences, contains important provisions, including:

- Supply Chain Resilience: The House’s bill establishes an Office of Manufacturing Security and Reliance at the Department of Commerce, provides $45 billion in grants and loans to onshore critical supply chains and identifies synthetic biology as a “key technology focus area.”

- Endless Frontiers Act: The Senate’s bill identifies synthetic biology as a “key technology focus area” at the Directorate for Technology and Innovation in the National Science Foundation (NSF) to strengthen U.S. leadership in synthetic biology research and development nationwide.

- Bioeconomy Research & Development Act of 2021: An act included in the House and Senate bills prioritizes research funding for the Departments of Energy, Agriculture and NASA to improve public-private coordination.
Founded in 2021, the SynBio Coalition works with the federal government and industry to grow the U.S. bioeconomy, drive technological innovation, and secure supply chains in the sectors of biological health, preparedness, energy, transportation, food, and everyday products. Its focus also includes building domestic manufacturing capacity and infrastructure across the country.

Synthetic biology is a dynamic field unlocking the power of nature to produce novel products with sustainable design across industries as varied as pharmaceuticals and medical treatments, food and agriculture, plastics, apparel, energy, consumer electronics, and personal and home care.

About Synonym Biotechnologies:

Synonym Biotechnologies (New York, NY) is building a financing and development platform for biomanufacturing infrastructure. Through its proprietary underwriting methodology, unique design standards and innovative development approach, Synonym is able to unlock investment opportunities for capital markets, while simultaneously reducing the cost of capital for synthetic biology companies. By partnering with the synthetic biology ecosystem from site selection through facility commissioning, Synonym unlocks the production capacity required to realize the potential of the emerging bioeconomy. For more information, visit https://synonym.bio/

The SynBio Coalition was founded by three of America’s leading synthetic biology companies who make up the steering committee:

Antheia (Menlo Park, CA) is unlocking the medicinal power of nature. Its synthetic biology platform surpasses the limits of conventional drug discovery and manufacturing through a novel approach to whole-cell engineering — reconstructing complex molecules in yeast to bring to market next-generation plant-inspired medicines. Antheia’s team of scientists and technologists is headquartered in Menlo Park, California. For more information, visit www.antheia.bio.

 
Geno (San Diego, CA) is remaking everyday products and materials with more sustainable, high-performance ingredients, made from renewable sources like plants rather than fossil fuels. Geno's first commercial products and partnerships with leading industrial firms and brands are already having high impact in plastics and cosmetics, with more coming in apparel, homecare, auto parts and more. Geno's Innovation Center is in San Diego, California. For more information, visit www.genomatica.com.

Ginkgo Bioworks (Boston, MA) 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 has also actively supported a number of COVID-19 response efforts, including K-12 pooled testing, vaccine manufacturing optimization and therapeutics discovery. For more information, visit ginkgobioworks.com.

Additional Members Include:

Checkerspot (Alameda, CA & Salt Lake City, UT) designs performance materials and ingredients at a molecular level. Checkerspot’s vertically integrated WING™ Platform optimizes microalgae to biomanufacture unique oils that are turned into new materials that demonstrate improved performance properties in targeted hardgoods, textiles, personal care, and food applications and products. Checkerspot's first commercialized materials are next generation polyurethanes and textile finishes designed to improve the performance of consumer products. The company is currently commercializing performance composites engineered into skis and sold through its brand WNDR® Alpine, as well as algal oil formulated into miDori® BioWick and sold in partnership with Beyond Surface Technologies. Checkerspot's mission is to expand the palette of molecular building blocks for high performance and sustainable materials for better products. For more information, visit https://checkerspot.com/.

Geltor (Emeryville, CA) is the company igniting what’s possible through biodesign, with the most advanced protein ingredients for beauty and personal care, food and nutrition, and beyond. Through its ingredient technologies, Geltor offers best-in-class innovation and otherwise impossible-to-source bioactives that are uniquely able to respond to changing customer needs sustainably, with unprecedented speed and precision. Geltor and its growing portfolio of biodesigned hero ingredients have been recognized for their excellence and innovation by industry leaders including CEW, Personal Care Products Council, Society of Cosmetic Chemists, and ICMAD Indie Beauty Innovators Awards. For more information, visit www.geltor.com.

 
SaponiQx (Lexington, MA) plans to be a global, integrated immune-education medicine company which is planning to develop safe and effective immunomodulators to protect the world's population from health threats. Its pipeline is led by the best-in-class QS21 Stimulon™ adjuvant already used in GSK's Shingrix™ vaccine and is expected to include a wide-ranging portfolio of saponin-based adjuvants and vaccines, including AutoSynVax™, PhosphoSynVax™, and Prophage™. For more information, visit https://saponiqx.com/.

Swiftscale Biologics (San Francisco, CA) provides cell-free protein synthesis for fast expression, high-throughput synthesis, and complex protein production. Swiftscale Biologics uses an innovative development and manufacturing platform that can significantly accelerate the normal timelines for translation of biologics. We rapidly transform scientific discoveries into protein products ready for human clinical trials.

Solugen (Houston, TX) was founded in 2016 by Gaurab Chakrabarti, M.D., Ph.D., and Sean Hunt, Ph.D., Solugen is a specialty chemicals manufacturer and world’s first and only producer of bio-based chemical peroxide solutions that applies green chemistry principles to re-design the production of a variety of ingredients. Solugen's mission is to help the fight against climate change by creating cleaner, greener, and safer chemical processes that reduce reliance on non-renewable resources and energy-intensive manufacturing, without sacrificing safety and efficacy. For more information, visit https://www.solugen.com/.

Northeastern University (Boston, MA) is home to a dynamic collection of labs focused on collaborations with academic researchers and various synthetic biology industries. Supported by several faculty working in this space, Northeastern University is leading innovative analysis and production in numerous fields of synthetic biology to support health care, therapeutics, plant-derived pharmaceuticals and cell engineering.

 
Northwestern University (Evanston, IL) is home to the Center for Synthetic Biology, a research lab that draws from the tools and concepts of physics, engineering, and computer science to explore four unique themes: cell-free systems, mammalian systems, enabling technologies, and ethics and societal impact. For more information, visit https://syntheticbiology.northwestern.edu/.

Oak Ridge National Laboratory (Oak Ridge, TN) is a U.S. multiprogram science and technology national laboratory sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy. The Synthetic Biology Group develops and applies principles and techniques for biosystems design in non-model organisms, biofuels crops, and associated biosystems to solve renewable energy and environmental challenges. The group focuses on engineering plants, bacteria, and fungi for a variety of applications. For more information, visit https://www.ornl.gov/group/synthetic-biology.

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SynBio Coalition Urges Passage of the Bipartisan Innovation Act

Washington, DC – Today, the Synthetic Biology (SynBio) Coalition released the following statement urging passage of the Bipartisan Innovation Act:

“We urge Congress to move expeditiously to pass the Bipartisan Innovation Act, which includes multiple provisions, including the Endless Frontiers Act and Supply Chain Resilience Fund, that will advance the synthetic biology industry and provide growth opportunities across the country.  Once implemented, this legislation will authorize important new recognitions for synthetic biology across multiple sectors and will promote economic growth opportunities that translate into more jobs and stronger onshore supply chains for the United States, all while reducing our nation’s reliance on foreign countries for products and materials. The members of the SynBio Coalition are poised to invest in research & development and build new manufacturing facilities and plants to support scaling of domestic production of critical supplies, ranging from essential medicines to consumer goods. Now is the time for Congress to act to unlock greater innovation for synthetic biology.”

ABOUT THE SYNBIO COALITION:  

Founded by three leading synthetic biology companies, the SynBio Coalition is a non-partisan group of business leaders and stakeholders dedicated to advancing synthetic biology as a driver of technological innovation and economic growth. The SynBio Coalition aims to turn the US into the home of the world’s most secure and technologically advanced biomanufacturing industry.

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SynBio Coalition Announces Eight New Members Representing Leading Biotechnology Companies, Universities

Growing Coalition Focuses on Industry Targets and Key Legislation to Bolster Innovation, Job Creation, Greater Security, and the New Green Economy

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, the Synthetic Biology Coalition announced the addition of eight new members representing leading companies and universities across the country. The new members include Checkerspot, Geltor, SaponiQx, Swiftscale Biologics, Solugen, Northeastern University, Northwestern University, and Oak Ridge National Laboratory.

“Synthetic biology is poised to serve as a major accelerant of American economic growth in the 21st century, and we are pleased to join the Synthetic Biology Coalition to support those efforts every step of the way,” said Dr. Gaurab Chakrabarti, CEO of Solugen. “The SynBio Coalition will continue to work with the federal government to build an environment where advanced biomanufacturing industry can thrive in the United States, creating more jobs, reducing our reliance on foreign supply chains, and unlocking the next generation of economic growth.”

Launched in April 2021, the SynBio Coalition is a nationwide coalition committed to working with the federal government and industry to grow the U.S. bioeconomy and drive technological innovation to support economic development and a more sustainable economy. This includes building domestic manufacturing capacity and infrastructure across the country. To accomplish this objective, the SynBio Coalition is presently focused on two core goals:

● Identifying synthetic biology as a key technology that can provide effective and innovative solutions for certain federal agencies; and

● Increasing visibility for synthetic biology among the Administration and Congress, ranging from the dynamic benefits of new technology to the economic growth potential for the U.S.

The SynBio Coalition is supporting multiple pieces of current congressional legislation that will support the expansion of synthetic biology, including:

● The Bipartisan Innovation Act (S.1260) (also known as USICA and America COMPETES) to provide funding for synthetic biology research and development; and

● The PREVENT Pandemics Act (S.3799) to include supply chain and platform technology support.

Synthetic biology is a dynamic field that is unlocking the power of nature to produce novel products with sustainable design across industries as varied as pharmaceuticals and medical treatments, food and agriculture, plastics, apparel, energy, consumer electronics, and personal and home care.

About the SynBio Coalition New Members:

● Checkerspot (Alameda, CA & Salt Lake City, UT) designs performance materials and ingredients at a molecular level. Checkerspot’s vertically integrated WING™ Platform optimizes microalgae to biomanufacture unique oils that are turned into new materials that demonstrate improved performance properties in targeted hardgoods, textiles, personal care, and food applications and products. Checkerspot's first commercialized materials are next generation polyurethanes and textile finishes designed to improve the performance of consumer products. The company is currently commercializing performance composites engineered into skis and sold through its brand WNDR® Alpine, as well as algal oil formulated into miDori® BioWick and sold in partnership with Beyond Surface Technologies. Checkerspot's mission is to expand the palette of molecular building blocks for high performance and sustainable materials for better products. For more information, visit https://checkerspot.com/

● Geltor (San Leandro, CA) is the company igniting what’s possible through biodesign, with the most advanced protein ingredients for beauty and personal care, food and nutrition, and beyond. Through its ingredient technologies, Geltor offers best-in-class innovation and otherwise impossible-to-source bioactives that are uniquely able to respond to changing customer needs sustainably, with unprecedented speed and precision. Geltor and its growing portfolio of biodesigned hero ingredients have been recognized for their excellence and innovation by industry leaders including CEW, Personal Care Products Council, Society of Cosmetic Chemists, and ICMAD Indie Beauty Innovators Awards. For more information, visit www.geltor.com

● SaponiQx (Lexington, MA) plans to be a global, integrated immune-education medicine company which is planning to develop safe and effective immunomodulators to protect the world's population from health threats. Its pipeline is led by the best-in-class QS21 Stimulon™ adjuvant already used in GSK's Shingrix™ vaccine and is expected to include a wide-ranging portfolio of saponin-based adjuvants and vaccines, including AutoSynVax™, PhosphoSynVax™, and Prophage™. For more information, visit https://saponiqx.com/

● Swiftscale Biologics (San Francisco, CA) provides cell-free protein synthesis for fast expression, high-throughput synthesis, and complex protein production. Swiftscale Biologics uses an innovative development and manufacturing platform that can significantly accelerate the normal timelines for translation of biologics. We rapidly transform scientific discoveries into protein products ready for human clinical trials.

● Solugen (Houston, TX) was founded in 2016 by Gaurab Chakrabarti, M.D., Ph.D., and Sean Hunt, Ph.D., Solugen is a specialty chemicals manufacturer and world’s first and only producer of bio-based chemical peroxide solutions that applies green chemistry principles to re-design the production of a variety of ingredients. Solugen's mission is to help the fight against climate change by creating cleaner, greener, and safer chemical processes that reduce reliance on non-renewable resources and energy-intensive manufacturing, without sacrificing safety and efficacy. For more information, visit https://www.solugen.com/

● Northeastern University (Boston, MA) is home to a dynamic collection of labs focused on collaborations with academic researchers and various synthetic biology industries. Supported by several faculty working in this space, Northeastern University is leading innovative analysis and production in numerous fields of synthetic biology to support health care, therapeutics, plant-derived pharmaceuticals and cell engineering.

● Northwestern University (Evanston, IL) is home to the Center for Synthetic Biology, a research lab that draws from the tools and concepts of physics, engineering, and computer science to explore four unique themes: cell-free systems, mammalian systems, enabling technologies, and ethics and societal impact. For more information, visit https://syntheticbiology.northwestern.edu/

● Oak Ridge National Laboratory (Oak Ridge, TN) is a U.S. multiprogram science and technology national laboratory sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy. The Synthetic Biology Group develops and applies principles and techniques for biosystems design in non-model organisms, biofuels crops, and associated biosystems to solve renewable energy and environmental challenges. The group focuses on engineering plants, bacteria, and fungi for a variety of applications. For more information, visit https://www.ornl.gov/group/synthetic-biology

The SynBio Coalition was founded in April 2021 by three of America’s leading synthetic biology companies who make up the steering committee:

● Antheia (Menlo Park, CA) is unlocking the medicinal power of nature. Its synthetic biology platform surpasses the limits of conventional drug discovery and manufacturing through a novel approach to whole-cell engineering — reconstructing complex molecules in yeast to bring to market next-generation plant-inspired medicines. Antheia’s team of scientists and technologists is headquartered in Menlo Park, California. For more information, visit www.antheia.bio

● Genomatica (San Diego, CA) is remaking everyday products and materials with more sustainable, high-performance ingredients, made from renewable sources like plants rather than fossil fuels. Genomatica's first commercial products and partnerships with leading industrial firms and brands are already having high impact in plastics and cosmetics, with more coming in apparel, homecare, auto parts and more. Genomatica's Innovation Center is in San Diego, California. For more information, visit www.genomatica.com

● Ginkgo Bioworks (Boston, MA) 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 has also actively supported a number of COVID-19 response efforts, including K-12 pooled testing, vaccine manufacturing optimization and therapeutics discovery. For more information, visit ginkgobioworks.com

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SynBio Coalition Applauds Senate Passage of the U.S. Innovation and Competition Act

Group of Leading Synthetic Biology Companies Praises the United States’ Progress in Supporting Scientific Innovation in Biotechnology and Investment

WASHINGTON – Today, the SynBio Coalition, a non-partisan group of synthetic biology industry leaders welcomed the bipartisan passage of the U.S. Innovation and Competition Act (USICA) by the Senate yesterday. The USICA, which includes key provisions of the Endless Frontier Act, will bolster American competitiveness and innovation in biotechnology and synthetic biology. It supports research, education, workforce development, and other measures to coordinate scientific development and encourage the growth of a new manufacturing industry.

The USICA reaffirms the importance of synthetic biology in confronting many challenges facing the country. Notably, synthetic biology and biosecurity efforts were critical to the response to the COVID-19 pandemic, showcasing the enormous promise of biological solutions. 

This landmark legislation embraces solutions and supports robust scientific research and economic development efforts needed to realize the powerful potential of synthetic biology.  It includes significant support for STEM education and workforce development; the creation of a new division within the National Science Foundation, the Directorate of Technology and Innovation; and the formation of a National Engineering Biology Research & Development Initiative. Together, these measures, among others, will help develop the American bioeconomy, which is critical for the future of American biosecurity and economic growth. One recent report indicated that, over the coming decades, a visible pipeline of biological applications could create approximately $2 to $4 trillion of direct annual economic impact globally.

“Yesterday’s passage represents an important inflection point for the entire synthetic biology industry, which is poised to be a primary driver of economic and jobs growth over the next century,” said Christina Smolke, CEO of Antheia. “We are excited to see bipartisan support for synthetic biology and are committed to working with the government to deliver on its incredible potential.”

"Consumer demand, technological expertise, and government support is a powerful trio to drive the continued rise of the American bioeconomy," said Christophe Schilling, CEO of Genomatica. "Policies and investments in synbio innovation and the growth of biobased manufacturing are crucial support in a wholesale transition to sustainable materials, making better products with a better environmental profile to make our world a better place."

“As we moved from our graduate work at MIT to building a horizontal platform for cell programming at Ginkgo, my co-founders and I have seen the transformative power of government investment in scientific innovation and coordination,” said Jason Kelly, CEO of Ginkgo Bioworks. “Our generation has an incredible opportunity to leverage biology in the service of sustainability, health, and well-being for our communities and our partners around the world. Legislation like this will help us bring about that future.”

The SynBio Coalition remains committed to working with the federal government to build out this innovative sector and create high-paying U.S. jobs, and it looks forward to working with Congress and the Biden Administration on these critical issues. 

ABOUT THE SYNBIO COALITION 

Founded by three of the leading synthetic biology companies, the SynBio Coalition is a non-partisan group of business leaders and stakeholders dedicated to advancing synthetic biology as a driver of technological innovation and economic growth. The SynBio Coalition aims to turn the US into the home of the world’s most secure and technologically advanced biomanufacturing industry.

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New Coalition Dedicated to Fostering American Synthetic Biology Manufacturing Launched Today

The SynBio Coalition, Backed by Three Industry Leaders, Says Innovation is Key for American Global Leadership, Job Creation, Greater Security, and the New Green Economy; Pledges to Work with Government, Industry

WASHINGTON, DC (April 13, 2021) – Today, three leading synthetic biology companies announced the launch of the Synthetic Biology (SynBio) Coalition (www.synbioco.com) to promote investment and support for the American synthetic biology industry. Synthetic biology is a field of science that involves redesigning microorganisms for useful purposes.  It is already being leveraged across many industries, including pharmaceuticals and medical treatments, food and agriculture, plastics, apparel, energy, consumer electronics, and personal and home care items, and is poised to have a significant impact on American economic growth over the coming years.

Working in collaboration with the US federal government, the SynBio Coalition aims to support the development and growth of the world’s advanced biomanufacturing industry in the United States, contributing to technologies that will improve access to medicine, create more sustainable and productive farming practices, help transform industrial manufacturing, and unlock a next generation of products across numerous industries.   

The SynBio Coalition is backed by three of America’s leading synthetic biology companies: Antheia, based in Menlo Park, California; Genomatica, based in San Diego, California; and Ginkgo Bioworks, based in Boston, Massachusetts.

“Over the last decade, synthetic biology’s advances have moved out of the lab and into the real economy, making the potential of this disruptive technology increasingly apparent,” said Christina Smolke, CEO and cofounder at Antheia. “As the technology continues to scale, it’s essential that industry and government work together to ensure that synbio’s advances translate into meaningful innovations that improve people’s lives.”

“America’s strengths in synbio innovation and growing crops can power a new era of industrial growth and prosperity, while making the products we use every day, better and more sustainable,” said Christophe Schilling, co-founder and CEO of Genomatica. “Synbio manufacturing of widely-used materials can bring back many industries that have moved overseas. This coalition is a great step in building broad support for the policies needed to drive this opportunity.” 

“We see the potential for biology to transform all the industries that produce physical goods,” said Jason Kelly, co-founder and CEO of Gingko Bioworks. “The ongoing efforts of the US government to invest in next generation technologies, including synthetic biology, are laying the groundwork for continued investment, governance, and prioritization of this transformative technology at a national scale.”

Creating a national synthetic biology infrastructure and manufacturing base will strengthen the United States’ position as a global leader in technology and innovation, help grow a robust and resilient domestic supply chain, support the development of a next-generation workforce, and empower next generation, sustainable manufacturing.

Global leadership:  America is the current global leader in the development of synthetic biology. The coalition believes that continued investment in synthetic biology, research infrastructure and manufacturing capacity is critical to realizing the full potential of this industry and maintaining American global leadership.   

American jobs: Synthetic biology holds tremendous promise for American workers. The coalition believes that continued investment in this emerging field of science will lead to the creation of more high-paying STEM and manufacturing jobs in both rural and urban areas across the United States.

Supply chain security:  The COVID-19 pandemic has exposed significant supply chain challenges for US companies in critical industries.  The coalition believes that a greater investment in an American synthetic biology manufacturing base will increase US resilience and national security by decreasing our reliance on overseas products, including Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (API), Key Starting Materials (KSM), and widely used chemicals and materials. 

Green economy:  Building a greener economy is of critical importance to business leaders, public officials, and consumers.  The coalition believes that synthetic biology builds cleaner solutions for a host of industries dedicated to lowering their emissions and having an improved environmental footprint.

The three steering committee members of SynBio Coalition are:

·       Antheia is unlocking the medicinal power of nature. Its synthetic biology platform surpasses the limits of conventional drug discovery and manufacturing through a novel approach to whole-cell engineering — reconstructing complex molecules in yeast to bring to market next-generation plant-inspired medicines. Antheia’s team of scientists and technologists is headquartered in Menlo Park, California. For more information, visit www.antheia.bio.

·       Genomatica is remaking everyday products and materials with more sustainable, high-performance ingredients, made from renewable sources like plants rather than fossil fuels. Genomatica's first commercial products and partnerships with leading industrial firms and brands are already having high impact in plastics and cosmetics, with more coming in apparel, homecare, auto parts and more. Genomatica's Innovation Center is in San Diego, California. For more information, visit www.genomatica.com. 

·       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.ginkobioworks.com.

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ABOUT THE SYNBIO COALITION:  The SynBio Coalition aims to turn the US into the home of the world’s most secure and technologically advanced biomanufacturing industry.  Founded by three of the leading synthetic biology companies, the SynBio Coalition is a non-partisan group of academics, business leaders, and government representatives dedicated to advancing synthetic biology as a driver of technological innovation and economic growth.