WATI editor
May 15, 2024
Sojitz and Ginkgo Bioworks Team Up to Revolutionize Bio-Manufacturing in Japan
Sojitz has announced a partnership with Ginkgo Bioworks, a leading synthetic biology company from the United States, to bring Ginkgo's biofoundry services to Japan. This collaboration aims to advance synthetic biology in Japanese manufacturing.
Ginkgo Bioworks, known for its pioneering work in synthetic biology, went public in May 2021 through a $17.5 billion SPAC merger. The company, currently valued at about $1.9 billion (around 294.5 billion yen), played a key role in helping Moderna develop its mRNA vaccine during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The partnership will focus on promoting "bio-manufacturing" in Japan, using synthetic biology to create products from biological resources. This shift from petrochemical-based to bio-based manufacturing aims to address resource issues and climate change. Japan aims to build a bio-related market worth about 92 trillion yen by 2030.
Synthetic biology, which involves designing and creating new microorganisms through genetic engineering, has seen rapid growth with advancements in genome editing and DNA synthesis technologies. Beside, Ginkgo Bioworks is at the forefront of this revolution.
According to the Ministry of Economy, Trade, and Industry, significant investments in this field are already underway in the US and China. Japan is also making strides with an 180 billion yen budget allocated for green innovation. However, Japanese synthetic biology ventures are still relatively small.
Sojitz plans to use its business development skills, customer network, and experience in bio-manufacturing to offer solutions to potential clients in Japan. While specific sales targets were not disclosed, the company is dedicated to advancing the bio-manufacturing sector in Japan.