Ginkgo Bioworks to acquire fungal platform firm Dutch DNA Biotech

Ginkgo Bioworks has agreed to acquire Dutch DNA Biotech, a Netherlands-based company focused on developing fungal strains and fermentation processes for producing proteins and organic acids.

As per the terms of the deal, the US-based organism company will acquire 100% of the Dutch company through a mix of cash and stock. Additionally, some shareholders of Dutch DNA Biotech will also get earn-out payments based on the meeting of one or more technical and commercialization milestones.

Ginkgo Bioworks plans to integrate the Dutch firm’s team, assets, and operations into its platform for cell programming. The deal, which is expected to be completed in July, will enable the organism company to expand internationally.

Art de Boo – Founder of Dutch DNA Biotech said: “This step creates an amazing opportunity to deploy Dutch DNA’s technology platform in a variety of market segments.

“We hope the combination of ‘conventional’ biotechnology with artificial intelligence and high throughput technologies will boost developments significantly. As founders we are extremely proud of our team which proved our technology is compatible with the foundry of Ginkgo.

“Further we are pleased that our company may serve as a stepping stone for Ginkgo to come to Europe and the Netherlands.”

Ginkgo Bioworks to acquire fungal platform firm Dutch DNA Biotech. Photo courtesy of fernando zhiminaicela from Pixabay.

Created as a management buy-out from the Netherlands Organization for Applied Scientific Research (TNO) in 2015, Dutch DNA Biotech develops and supplies fungal biotechnology processes for the industrial production of proteins, enzymes, and organic acids.

The company is said to have deep expertise in a major class of microbes — filamentous fungi, which are used for making everything from the enzymes used in laundry detergent to proteins for food.

Jason Kelly – CEO of Ginkgo Bioworks said: “Where software platforms lean on a codebase of Software Development Kits (SDKs), you can think of cell programming platforms using Cell Development Kits (CDKs) to enable new applications.

“Dutch DNA has the most exciting fungal “CDK” we have seen, and their work with filamentous fungi is truly differentiating. We believe their expertise in developing and engineering these strains, combined with Ginkgo’s automated and high-throughput Foundry, will help us provide best-in-class production hosts to our customers developing protein and enzyme products unlike anything currently available on the market.

“This technology could have applications across a wide range of industries, including more efficient and sustainable production of plant-based foods, low-energy laundry detergents, pharmaceutical manufacturing and more.”

Earlier this month, Ginkgo Bioworks agreed to merge with Soaring Eagle Acquisition Corp. in a deal that values the former at $15 billion.