Ginkgo Bioworks and the Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo Announce Plans to Develop and Implement New Biosecurity Capabilities in the Region

BOSTON and KINSHASA, Democratic Republic of the Congo, April 14, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Ginkgo Bioworks (NYSE: DNA), which is building the leading horizontal platform for cell programming and biosecurity, and the Institut National de la Recherche Biomédicale ("INRB"), the national medical research organization of the Democratic Republic of the Congo ("DRC"), today announced that they have entered into a Memorandum of Understanding ("MOU") with the intent of developing and implementing new biosecurity capabilities in Democratic Republic of the Congo.

The goal of the planned partnership is to support DRC's public health institutions as they work to address biosecurity challenges in the region. Ginkgo, through its biosecurity and public health unit, Concentric by Ginkgo ("Concentric"), plans to collaborate with the INRB to equip these institutions with biosecurity tools and training as well as the secure data infrastructure they need to leverage automation, data analysis, bioinformatics capabilities, and other critical genomic sequencing technologies. The collaboration aims to empower the DRC to form the foundation for a biosecurity and bioeconomy platform that serves the people of the DRC and the surrounding region.

Concentric leverages an international network of qualified laboratories to provide pathogen monitoring capabilities across the U.S. and abroad, including schools, airports, and other congregate settings. Concentric aims to build sustainable global biosecurity infrastructure to prepare for the next new variant or novel pathogen, and this planned partnership with the INRB is a significant milestone in its international expansion as it continues to scale its biosecurity offering.

Founded in 1984, the INRB is part of the DRC's Ministry of Public Health, Hygiene and Prevention. It has played a fundamental role in the establishment and operation of biomedical research as well as in the surveillance of infectious diseases and the promotion of professional growth and development in the DRC. INRB and Concentric will partner to continue to develop and train quality researchers in the field, and to continue the development of a growing network of global biosafety infrastructures.

Concentric and the INRB recognize the importance of international collaboration and cooperation to promote global health security as biological threats emerge. Low-resource areas often lack the infrastructure to monitor and respond effectively to biological threats, putting the people of these regions at a heightened outbreak risk. Investing in pathogen monitoring infrastructure in areas such as the DRC is essential for building systems that are capable of detecting and responding to emerging infectious diseases.

"This partnership with the DRC is a testament to our shared commitment of enabling and advancing biosecurity initiatives for all," said Matt McKnight, General Manager, Biosecurity at Ginkgo Bioworks. "We're thankful for the opportunity to collaborate with the INRB, continuing to build upon a global weather map of critical infrastructure for tracking the spread and evolution of infectious disease, creating a safer and more secure world."

Effective pathogen monitoring and data sharing capabilities can empower government officials, community leaders, and other stakeholders to make informed public health decisions. In the long-term, these capabilities can also be leveraged to form the foundation for a sustainable regional bioeconomy.

"Continued collaboration is imperative to protect public health against emerging pathogens, in the DRC and around the world. We look forward to our partnership with Concentric, which will allow us to bring cutting-edge technology and a holistic approach to advance the DRC's biosafety capacities," declared Professor Jean-Jacques Muyembe, Director General of the INRB.

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 Twitter (@Ginkgo and @ConcentricByGBW), Instagram (@GinkgoBioworks and @ConcentricByGinkgo), or LinkedIn.

About the Institut National de la Recherche Biomédicale of the Democratic Republic of the Congo

The National Institute for Biomedical Research (INRB) was created in 1984, and currently operates on the basis of Decree No. 13/006 of January 22, 2013. It is under the supervision of the Ministry of Public Health.

It serves both as a National Public Health Laboratory of Reference and as a Research Center. As such, INRB's mission is to contribute to the improvement of the health of the Congolese population by: biomedical analyses, biomedical research, surveillance of diseases with epidemic potential, reference laboratory activities for the national laboratory system, health control programs and services, training in laboratory techniques and scientific supervision of young researchers.

In order to fulfill its mission, INRB has a large scientific capacity in virology, bacteriology, parasitology, epidemiology, animal health, entomology, biochemistry and hematology, anatomic-pathology, toxicology, human genetics and molecular biology. INRB also has important infrastructure and equipment that provides the DRC with important technical capacities and scientific expertise. INRB has contributed to the fight against Ebola and the production of diagnostic tests for sleeping sickness. In addition, it has discovered a new virus responsible for hemorrhagic fever, called Bakongo virus. 

INRB is also known for holding International Congresses of Infectious and Parasitic Pathology (CIPIP) designed as platforms for the exchange of scientific expertise. INRB works in synergy with the central directorates in the DRC and other international programs in the fight against diseases around the world.

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 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 unpredictability of the duration of the COVID-19 pandemic and the demand for COVID-19 testing and the commercial viability of our COVID-19 testing business, (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 annual report on Form 10-K filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") on March 13, 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:
[email protected]

GINKGO INVESTOR CONTACT:
[email protected]

DRC MEDIA CONTACT:
Professeur Steve Ahuka Mundeke
[email protected]

SOURCE Ginkgo Bioworks