Key Takeaways:
- Ginkgo Bioworks and Invaio Sciences have announced a collaboration to develop microbial strains for large-scale production of peptide-based crop protection inputs.
- The partnership focuses on optimizing industrial fermentation processes to support commercialization.
- Invaio is advancing peptide-based solutions to address pest resistance to conventional chemistry.
- Ginkgo will apply its strain engineering platform and automated lab infrastructure to meet production targets.
- The collaboration aims to deliver scalable, cost-effective manufacturing aligned with grower needs.
Ginkgo to Support Industrial-Scale Peptide Production
Ginkgo Bioworks (NYSE: DNA) has entered into a collaboration with Invaio Sciences, an agricultural biotechnology company focused on nature-positive crop protection solutions. The partnership is designed to develop microbial strains capable of efficiently manufacturing peptide-based crop protection products at industrial scale.
As growers face increasing pest resistance to conventional chemical inputs, alternative solutions are being explored. Invaio’s platform focuses on discovering and developing peptide-based crop protection technologies intended to complement or offer alternatives to traditional chemistries, while meeting standards for efficacy, affordability, and ease of adoption.
Strain Engineering and Fermentation Optimization
Under the agreement, Ginkgo will leverage its microbial engineering platform and protein production strains to support Invaio’s commercialization efforts. The strains are engineered to serve as optimized starting points for protein and peptide production through industrial-scale fermentation.
Ginkgo will further refine strains and bioprocesses to align with Invaio’s manufacturing goals. The work will utilize Ginkgo’s automated laboratory systems, including Reconfigurable Automation Carts (RACs) and Catalyst automation software, to conduct development protocols and optimize scale-up processes.
Leadership Perspectives From Invaio Science & Ginkgo
“Ginkgo's technology offers us a clear path to manufacturing our peptides at scale,” said Amy O'Shea, CEO of Invaio Sciences. “We are excited to partner with Ginkgo to develop much-needed next generation crop protection solutions for persistent pests and diseases.”
“At Ginkgo, we understand the urgency for next-generation agricultural solutions that can support growers, consumers and the planet,” said Jill Bradshaw, General Manager of Ginkgo's Microbial Solutions business unit. “We are excited to work alongside our partners at Invaio to deliver a manufacturing strain and process that allows them to continue to focus on the discovery of next-generation biological solutions important to crop protection.”
Enabling Commercial Readiness
Ginkgo’s platform supports biotechnology companies across strain licensing, engineering, bioprocess development, and scale-up. The collaboration reflects a shared objective to establish a scalable manufacturing pathway for peptide-based crop protection products, supporting broader efforts to address resistance challenges in agriculture.
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