Ginkgo Bioworks Launches Cell Development Kit Service for Standardized, Low-Cost Entry to its Cell Programming Platform

BOSTON, Nov. 11, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Ginkgo Bioworks (NYSE: DNA), the leading horizontal platform for cell programming, today announced the launch of its Cell Development Kits (CDKs) service. CDKs provide streamlined access to the company's platform for aspiring cell developers to program cells to tackle the biggest challenges facing society. The first CDKs to launch are focused on protein expression programs. The service provides developers access to the toolkit needed to get started developing commercial proteins, including pre-engineered host cells optimized for protein production, specialized equipment, automation capabilities, genetic engineering expertise, insights garnered from Ginkgo's codebase and the applicable infrastructure to design, build and test a custom microbe.

Ginkgo's CDKs are designed to cut the cost of launching a cell program and speed up development timelines to build engineered microbes, for example, to determine whether a protein may be successfully and commercially produced. The service is also designed to enable customers to prototype their idea in phases, with each phase providing data that can inform the customer's project and business strategy. By simplifying the pathway for companies to get started on the Ginkgo platform with standard terms, a phased approach, low costs—starting at $100,000 for protein expression projects—and clear deliverables, the CDK can help derisk projects prior to full scale technical development.

"We believe engineering biology holds tremendous potential to revolutionize industries and our customers are using it to develop solutions ranging from alternative food proteins and vaccine ingredients to biodegradable plastics and sustainable chemicals," said Jason Kelly, CEO of Ginkgo Bioworks. "But biology is still complex and highly variable, making the barrier to entry too high for many of the product developers that are out there with an idea they want to bring to the world. By providing these researchers, entrepreneurs and dreamers with the resources to realize their proof of concept, we're able to support the synthetic biology ecosystem to keep pushing the envelope on innovation."

If you are a developer interested in learning more about being in the next batch of CDK projects to launch, reach out to the Ginkgo team. Ginkgo will also be hosting an informational virtual event, Grow with Ginkgo: You're a Cell Developer, for prospective cell developers that are interested in learning more about the CDK on Thursday, Nov. 11 from 10 a.m.-12 p.m. ET.

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 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 www.ginkgobioworks.com.

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 launch and potential benefits of Ginkgo's "Cell Development Kits" (CDKs) service and the potential of Ginkgo's cell programming platform generally. These forward-looking statements generally are identified by the words "believe," "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 document, including but not limited to: (i) the effect of the business combination with Soaring Eagle Acquisition Corp. ("Soaring Eagle") on Ginkgo's business relationships, performance, and business generally, (ii) risks that the business combination disrupts current plans of Ginkgo and potential difficulties in Ginkgo's employee retention, (iii) the outcome of any legal proceedings that may be instituted against Ginkgo related to its business combination with Soaring Eagle, (iv) volatility in the price of Ginkgo's securities now that it is a public company due to a variety of factors, including changes in the competitive and highly regulated industries in which Ginkgo plans to operate, variations in performance across competitors, changes in laws and regulations affecting Ginkgo's business and changes in the combined capital structure, (v) the ability to implement business plans, forecasts, and other expectations after the completion of the business combination, and identify and realize additional opportunities, and (vi) the risk of downturns in demand for products using synthetic biology. 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 current report on Form 8-K filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") on September 20, 2021 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 INVESTOR CONTACT:
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GINKGO BIOWORKS MEDIA CONTACT:
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SOURCE Ginkgo Bioworks