Category Archives: Genetic Engineering

Singapore, 28 April 2022: The second edition of the Chandler Good Government Index (the CGGI, or the Index) launched today in Singapore, with Singapore ranking third globally. Designed by the Chandler Institute of Governance (CIG), the CGGI is the worlds most comprehensive index of effective national government. It shows the importance of investing time and energy into enhancing the skills of public servants and the structures they operate within, to allow delivery of a better and more sustainable future. This years edition builds on the success of the first report, and comes at a critical time as governments around the world look to recover from the pandemic.

Based on over 50 open data sources, the CGGI is a principled and data-driven way to understand the capabilities and outcomes of 104 governments across the world, and almost 90% of the worlds population. The index focuses on seven pillars Leadership & Foresight; Robust Laws & Policies; Strong Institutions; Financial Stewardship; Attractive Marketplace; Global Influence & Reputation; and Helping People Rise. The rigorous methodology of the Index was developed in consultation with government practitioners, leaders, index experts, and researchers in governance. The process was conducted independently, without any discussions with, or financial support from, the Singapore Government.

Similar to the 2021 CGGI, Singapore performed strongest globally in the areas of Financial Stewardship and Attractive Marketplace. This demonstrates the Singapore governments strong capabilities in fiscal policy, public financial management, and budgeting, as well as highlighting the conducive business and investment environment in the country. Additionally, Singapore also took the top spot for Helping People Rise, highlighting the emphasis Singapore places on ensuring social mobility for its people.

European nations feature prominently in the top 20, with Finland holding onto the top position and Switzerland ranking second. Other APAC nations in the top twenty include New Zealand (9th); Japan (15th); Australia (17th); and South Korea (joint 19th).

The top 20 countries in the CGGI 2022 are as follows:

Singapores results by pillar are as follows:

Top 10 Asia-Pacific countries (East Asia and Pacific, and South Asia) are as follows:

The Index developed by government practitioners, for government practitioners has been designed to be a practical tool for enhancing good governance. It enables governments, with their own unique economic and political situations, to assess and benchmark their capabilities and performance. The Index report provides analyses and examples of relevant and impactful policy and effective service delivery around the world.

Key Findings of the 2022 CGGI:

Good governments are more prepared for pandemics and other crises

Released during the pandemic, the Index allows us to assess how governance affects a nations crisis preparedness and responses. The 2022 CGGI shows that countries with good governance were better prepared for the COVID-19 pandemic, conducted more tests per capita, and generally experienced fewer excess deaths per capita. Because many government capabilities such as planning, budgeting and policy design can be deployed to manage different challenges, the CGGI highlights the role of better governance in how nations deal with other pressing issues such as climate change and regional instability, during these increasingly turbulent times.

Good governance is closely linked to social mobility and social progress

Overall CGGI country rankings are closely linked to the degree of social mobility and social progress countries experience. In turn, social mobility is key for long-term cohesiveness and harmony within nations. The Index suggests that the most capable governments are those which foster the greatest social mobility, and social mobility increases the opportunities for every citizen to prosper.

Mr Wu Wei Neng, Executive Director of the Chandler Institute of Governance said, Government capabilities are an enduring source of competitive advantage for nations. These capabilities include systems, institutions, processes, and skills elements that take time to improve and build up. Once developed and strengthened, government capabilities are not easily eroded in the short-term, and can support governments through brief periods of instability or crisis.

Governance capabilities are an enduring source of national advantage

Roughly one-third of countries in the CGGI (33) maintained the same overall ranking, and there were few large changes in country rankings. This stability can be partly attributed to the CGGIs focus on capabilities, rather than outcomes. Capabilities in governance represent enduring foundations for public sector excellence, and are stable and lasting investments that governments can make for the future.

Dr Vu Minh Khuong, Associate Professor at the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy said, Capabilities are key to outcomes; all countries need to invest in developing better government capabilities. As the world is entering an era of revolutionary change, governments must be at the forefront of embracing emerging challenges and opportunities to create prosperity. International support to developing countries, therefore, should strategically focus on empowering and engaging governments as a leading driver of national development endeavours and a critical part of the solution to global challenges.

More capable governments achieve better outcomes

The Index continues to show that effective government capabilities are closely linked to better outcomes for citizens. The same seven countries that top the overall Index also deliver the best outcomes in important areas such as education, gender equity and health, that matter to citizens. Additionally, Rule of Law, Property Rights, and Anti-Corruption are the three capabilities out of 26 that are most closely linked with overall CGGI performance. These are cornerstones upon which trust-based societies and economies are built. The Index not only highlights the need to bolster government capabilities globally, but can also reveal the specific areas different governments need to prioritise.

Mr Kent Weaver, Professor of Public Policy and Government, Georgetown University said, Good governance should not be taken for granted; even high-performing countries can be caught off guard by unforeseen crises. The COVID-19 pandemic shows us that trust is a vital part of good governance. Indeed, the ability to effectively tackle corruption is the metric most closely associated with overall performance in the Index. When citizens trust their leaders and institutions to delivereffectively, governments can be more ambitious, and can work closely with communities to create opportunities and prosperity.

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New Zealand's Future is with Genetic Engineering: Productivity Commission - OpenGov Asia

BOSTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Kelonia Therapeutics, a biotech company revolutionizing in vivo gene delivery, launched today with a $50 million Series A financing to usher in a new era of genetic medicines for a wide range of diseases. Kelonias platform overcomes the central challenge that has prevented the full realization of gene therapy for patients. Despite life-changing responses, existing gene therapies are highly complex, costly, and limited by complicated treatment paradigms, tractable therapeutic applications, and dose-limiting toxicities. By enabling precisely targeted, highly efficient, manufacturable off-the-shelf in vivo gene delivery, Kelonias technology has the potential to dramatically expand the impact and reach of genetic medicines to every patient in need.

Kelonia is backed by a strong syndicate of investors with a track record of successfully launching and building disruptive biotech companies. Alta Partners, Horizons Ventures, Venrock and other investors participated in the Series A round. The company will use the funding to redefine whats possible for genetic medicines starting with an off-the-shelf chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) to treat hematologic cancer that may enable the unrivalled clinical benefit of CAR T without the typical toxicities and with the ease of access of conventional medicines. Additionally, the company will advance other programs for oncology and non-oncology indications, and further expand its gene delivery platform and capabilities.

The cell and gene therapy field has been searching for solutions to durable in vivo genetic modifications regardless of whether applying gene editing, RNA expression or viral-mediated gene integration, said Kevin Friedman, Ph.D., President and Chief Scientific Officer of Kelonia. At Kelonia, we believe we have found an in vivo gene delivery solution that is safe, effective, and manufacturable for broad therapeutic application. With our Series A funding and key strategic collaborations, we will advance our lead product candidate toward clinical studies and further optimize our technology to explore treating diseases never thought possible with genetic medicines.

Based on discoveries made in the lab of Massachusetts Institute of Technologys Michael Birnbaum, Ph.D., and leveraging pioneering research from leading scientists at the French National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS), Kelonias in vivo gene delivery technology enables a few potent lentiviral vector-like particles armed with an adjustable targeting system to precisely, efficiently, and safely deliver payloads exactly where needed to treat a broad range of diseases. The companys early applications combine oncology-targeted therapeutics, such as CAR and T cell receptor molecules, with Kelonias precision in vivo targeting technology. When used in concert, this combination enables potent and precise tumor targeting with limited off-tumor toxicity, which would otherwise be a concern. Administered directly in vivo as an off-the-shelf medicine, Kelonias transformational therapies in development for solid and hematologic tumors have the potential to democratize patient access to genetic medicines. Beyond oncology, the company will advance its technology to unlock delivery to previously hard-to-reach tissues, such as neurological, muscular or renal, to deliver different types of genetic cargo with the goal of radically transforming the treatment of diseases in these areas.

It turns out, a relatively simple and elegant idea to de-target and redirect lentivirus-like particles based on recently published research from my lab can potentially provide a solution to in vivo gene delivery, said Dr. Birnbaum, Ph.D., Co-Founder of Kelonia. Im incredibly excited about the potential of Kelonias platform and team to vastly expand the utility of gene therapies to treat oncology, autoimmune disease, rare monogenic or other diseases currently intractable to gene therapies.

Kelonia is combining the two crucial elements required to develop truly novel medicines: breakthrough biology and an exceptional team, said Bryan Roberts, Partner at Venrock. Michael Birnbaums industrially robust platform affords a targeting specificity log orders better than anything else out there and the team has a stellar track record for translating groundbreaking scientific gene therapy discoveries into viable products that are transformative for patients.

Strategic Collaborations

In addition to the completion of its Series A, Kelonia has established strategic collaborations with Adimab and ElevateBio. With both collaborations already successfully underway, each of these outstanding partners brings differentiating capabilities that enable and accelerate the companys vision to bring breakthrough genetic medicines to patients.

Adimab is the leading provider of therapeutic antibody discovery and engineering technologies. Kelonia will leverage Adimabs expertise and proprietary technologies, across a range of applications, to access tissue-specific antibodies that enable unlocking precise in vivo gene delivery to different tissues as well as antibodies that can be leveraged within the therapeutic genetic cargo.

ElevateBio is a technology-driven company focused on powering transformative cell and gene therapies with multiple next-generation technology platforms and a fully integrated R&D and manufacturing facility. Through an expanding partnership, Kelonia will utilize ElevateBios lentiviral vector platform, process and analytical development expertise, and cGMP manufacturing capabilities to develop and advance novel manufacturing processes for Kelonia and manufacture of Kelonias products.

Leadership and Founding Team

Kelonia brings together industry leaders in cell and gene therapy responsible for the discovery and development of multiple clinical and commercial products including ABECMA, the first FDA-approved anti-BCMA CAR T cell therapy product for relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma. The companys leadership team includes Kevin Friedman, Ph.D., President and Chief Scientific Officer, Thomas Galbo, Ph.D., Chief Business Officer, and Molly Perkins, Ph.D., Vice President of Research.

Kelonias scientific founders include Michael Birnbaum, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and Michael Fischbach, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Bioengineering and of Medicine, Stanford University, both world-leading experts in the fields of microbiology, immunology, oncology, and cell and gene engineering.

The companys board of directors comprises Michael Birnbaum, Michael Fischbach, Kevin Friedman, Bryan Roberts and Bob More, Managing Director at Alta.

About Kelonia TherapeuticsKelonia is pioneering a new wave of genetic medicines using its next generation gene delivery platform. The companys simple and elegant cutting-edge in vivo gene delivery technology uses a few potent lentiviral vector-like particles to precisely and efficiently deliver in vivo genetic cargo to the desired target tissue, and only that tissue, every time. With an initial focus on developing transformational therapies for solid tumors and hematologic cancers, Kelonia is building a pipeline of genetic medicines for a wide range of diseases, with the bold goal of bringing genetic medicines to every patient in need. Learn more about Kelonia at http://www.keloniatx.com and follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.

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Kelonia Therapeutics Launches with $50 Million Series A Financing to Pioneer Precision Targeted Genetic Medicines - Business Wire

Emmanuel Macrons defeat of Marine Le Pen in Frances presidential election on Sunday was a victory for moderation over extremism. But despite the collective sigh of relief from the EU and many in the West, Macrons work is just beginning and the road ahead is filled with obstacles.

Many of our compatriots voted for me not out of support for my ideas but to block those of the extreme right. I want to thank them and I know that I have a duty towards them in the years to come, Macron said.

Macrons second-round campaign was carried by moderate left-wing voters, who wanted to prevent a Le Pen presidency. Marine Le Pen is widely seen as stigmatizing immigrants and religious minorities, all while opposing the European Union. Those voters made him one of the few French presidents to win a second term, but his margin of victory58 percent to 41 percentwas not overwhelming and the abstention rate of 28 percent was the highest since 1969.

Most fascinating are the first numbers about the vote on Sunday, divided by age group and profession. Macron was largely supported by voters ages 18 to 24 and older than 70, while Le Pen carried 50- to 59-year-olds and was head to head with Macron in the 25 to 34 age bracket. Le Pens support mainly came from workers and employees in the private sector, while Macron got most of his support from government employees and retired citizens.

Next up: France will hold parliamentary elections in a few weeks, and Macron knows they will be crucial for the way forward. Without a majority in the National Assembly, he will be unable to make any significant changes. In those elections, Macrons En Marche party faces challenges from all directions. Left-wing voters begrudgingly supported Macron against Le Pen, but they largely supported third-place Jean-Luc Mlenchon in the first round and will seek to translate that into a significant representation in Parliament. The far-left contender has already laid out terms to other left-wing parties in a bid to oust Macrons centrist majority.

So far, Le Pens nationalist National Rally party has refused party deals with other far-right groups ahead of the parliamentary vote in June. Far-right candidate Eric Zemmour has called for a union of the right with Le Pen, but she likely still holds grudges over Zemmour competing with her for voters in the first round.

And then there is the bigger picture of Europe. France wasnt the only country to have an election last weekend. In Slovenia, centrist newcomer Robert Golob defeated incumbent Janez Jana handily, another victory for the moderate consensus in Europe. Jana had become known as Slovenias up-and-coming populist, a Donald Trump supporter in the heart of the European Council who embarrassed himself after prematurely congratulating Trump for winning the election in 2020.

Macrons reelection also serves as a stabilizing factor in the European Union Brussels had looked upon the vote in France with unease, as the war in Ukraine requires unequivocal leadership in the European Union. But even in losing, Le Pen secured the highest number of votes her party has ever gotten so it remains clear that nationalist oppositions are still a threat. Each time Le Pen and her party challenge the moderate establishment in France, they get closer to securing regional and national offices. In 2017, Macrons lead over Le Pen had been 32 points; now its only 17. Whether or not Le Penwho has not ruled out a fourth campaign for the presidencyruns again is not a logistical problem for her movement: Her niece Marion Marchal-Le Pen is a popular alternative among their nationalist supporters.

Macrons reelection in France will also mark a shift in policy in Paris. French presidents are limited to two terms, and with no need to consider his future chances Macron now has leeway to put his foot down on a range of issues. A Macron-aligned member of the European Parliament already indicated that the French will push for increased robotization in agriculture, as well as overturn the consensus on the ban on genetic engineering. Before the election, Emmanuel Macron had recognized that the war in Ukraine meant that Europe cannot afford to pursue an agricultural policy that reduces farm land and cuts down on crop protection. USDA studies had indicated that the EUs reforms in agriculture would significantly increase food prices, which EU leaders seem less keen on in the current climate. France as a major agricultural hub, however, might put the brakes on the reforms that have been planned by Brussels thus far.

On foreign policy, Macron will try to unite European foreign policy: a necessary component for the creation of a European army, of which he is a strong supporter. That increased centralization and standardization of the EU has its opponents, and Frances nationalists will likely capitalize on rising anti-EU sentiments.

From the perspective of the French moderates, reason has prevailed. Whether or not French citizens will be convinced that being the lesser of two evils is really enough will show itself all along with this five-year term.

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Macron Will Have Little Time to Savor His Victory - The Dispatch

NEW YORK, April 26, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The Insight Partners published latest research study on "Synthetic Biology MarketForecast to 2028 - COVID-19 Impact and Global Analysis By Products (Enzymes, Chassis Organisms, Oligonucleotides, and Xeno-Nucleic Acids), Technology (Measurement & Modeling, Cloning & Sequencing, Genome Engineering, Gene Synthesis, Nanotechnology, and Others), and Application (Medical Applications, Industrial Applications, Food and Agriculture, Environmental Applications, and Others)", the global synthetic biology market is expected to grow from $10.54 Billion in 2021 to $37.85 Billion by 2028; it is estimated to grow at a CAGR of 20.0%from 2021 to 2028.

The synthetic biology market growth is driven by the increasing investments in synthetic biology, advancements in biotechnology, and the rising number of start-ups. However, renewed regulations for biotechnology are restricting market growth.

Get Exclusive Access to Sample Pages of Synthetic Biology Market Size - COVID-19 Impact and Global Analysis with Strategic Insights at:https://www.theinsightpartners.com/sample/TIPHE100000960/

Report Coverage

Details

Market Size Value in

US$ 10.54 Billion in 2021

Market Size Value by

US$ 37.85 Billion by 2028

Growth rate

CAGR of 20.0% from 2021 to 2028

Forecast Period

2021-2028

Base Year

2021

No. of Pages

217

No. Tables

111

No. of Charts & Figures

84

Historical data available

Yes

Segments covered

Products, Technology, and Application

Regional scope

North America; Europe; Asia Pacific; Latin America; MEA

Country scope

US, UK, Canada, Germany, France, Italy, Australia, Russia, China, Japan, South Korea, Saudi Arabia, Brazil, Argentina

Report coverage

Revenue forecast, company ranking, competitive landscape, growth factors, and trends

Synthetic Biology Market: Competitive Landscape and Key Developments

In August 2021, New England Biolabs announced the release of its newest loop-mediated is sthermal amplification (LAMP) products: the WarmStart Multi-Purpose LAMP/RT-LAMP 2X Master Mix (with UDG) and the WarmStart Fluorescent LAMP/RT-LAMP Kit (with UDG), which combines the master mix and LAMP fluorescent dye in one convenient kit. The new master mix and kit enable researchers to perform rapid, high-throughput detection of targeted segments of DNA or RNA using various amplification detection methods.

In April 2022, Agilent Technologies Inc. announced the expansion of CE-IVD marking in the European Union for its PD-L1 IHC 28-8 pharmDx as an aid in identifying esophageal squamous cell carcinoma patients for treatment with Bristol Myers Squibb's PD-1-targeted immunotherapeutic OPDIVO (nivolumab), in combination with fluoropyrimidine and platinum-based chemotherapy or OPDIVO in combination with YERVOY (ipilimumab). These combined treatments provide new hope for patients diagnosed with these cancers.

In April 2022, Merck KGaA launchedthe first-ever antibody to achieve ACT label designation. ZooMAb antibodies received the lowest Environmental Impact Factor (EIF) scores in the chemicals and reagents category.

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Global synthetic biology market is segmented by region into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, the Middle East & Africa, and South & Central America. In North America, the U.S. is the largest market for synthetic biology. Asia Pacific is expected to account for the fastest global synthetic biology market growth.. Asia-pacific region will have lucrative growth opportunities during the forecast period due to government initiatives taken in the region. For instance, in November 2017, China launched the first synthetic biology association to support the market's growth. This association promotes academic research and communication in synthetic biology; it further enhances the comprehensive competitiveness of the Shenzhen synthetic biology industry and domestic and foreign influence. While, North America has huge market potential, followed by Europe in the overall synthetic biology market, which is attributed to government funds, investments made by the major companies, conferences held for the awareness regarding synthetic biology, technological advancements in the field of genomics, and higher acceptance by the consumers. However, the MEA and SCAM will also show a relatively lower opportunity in the next few years.

Synthetic biology is an emerging concept that has numerous applications in the chemicals, agriculture, pharmaceuticals, and energy industries. Various start-ups offer gene synthesis products/services for biological processes. For example, Benchling provides CAD tools, GenScript offers gene synthesis, Ginkgo Bioworks assists in organism engineering, Transcripts (a bioinformatics company) offers solutions facilitating cloud labs/automation, and Glowee offers consumer products. Further, 56 synthetic biology businesses raised more than US$ 3 billion in equity financing in the first half of 2020, compared to 65 companies raising US$ 1.9 billion during the same period in 2020. The new generation of biopharma businesses uses synthetic biology to improve cell treatment and gene therapy and support early cancer detection. Some synthetic biology firms with the most funding in the first half of 2020 are listed below.

Table 1. Synthetic Biology Firms with Most Funding in First Half of 2020

Company

Description

Funding

Sana Biotechnology

Biotechnology, Health Care, Life Sciences, and Product Research

US$ 700 million

Impossible Foods

Food & Beverage and Nutrition

US$ 500 million

Moderna Therapeutics

Biotechnology, Genetics, Health Care, Medical, and Pharmaceutical

US$ 483 million

Apeel Sciences

Agriculture, AgTech, Biotechnology, and Food Processing

US$ 250 million

Memphis Meats

Food & Beverage and Nutrition

US$ 161 million

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Synthetic Biology Market: Segmental Overview

The synthetic biology market, based on product, is segmented into oligonucleotides, chassis organisms, enzymes, and xeno-nucleic acid. The oligonucleotides segment is likely to hold the largest share of the market in 2021. Moreover, the same segment is anticipated to register the highest CAGR in the market from 2021-2028. This is mainly because of the rising application of oligonucleotides in genetic testing/ assays and forensic sciences. Based on technology, the market is segmented into, gene synthesis, genome engineering, measurement & modeling, cloning & sequencing, nanotechnology, and others. In 2021, the gene synthesis segment is likely to hold the largest share of the market. However, the genome engineering segment is expected to grow in demand at the fastest CAGR of 20.8% from 2021 to 2028. Based on application, the market is segmented into medical applications, industrial applications, environmental applications, food and agriculture, and others. The medical applications segment is further segmented into drug discovery & therapeutics and pharmaceuticals. In 2021, the medical applications segment is likely to hold the largest share of the market. Moreover, the similar segment is expected to witness growth in its demand at the fastest CAGR of 20.8% from 2021 to 2028.

North America synthetic biology market includes consolidated markets for countries such as the US, Canada, and Mexico. In recent years, all the three countries in the region are witnessing a sequential change in the synthetic biology market. By geography, North America held the largest global synthetic biology market share. This largest share can be attributed to government funds, investments made by the major companies, conferences held for awareness regarding synthetic biology, technological advancements in genomics, and higher consumer acceptance. Synthetic biology is a major tool for biological advances, which helps in providing potential for the development of biological weapons. Security issues can be avoided by regulating the biotechnology industry through policy legislation.

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The various government initiatives and funding offered are becoming great support for the synthetic biology market to grow in the US. For instance, according to a report by National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI), the US government offers approximately US$ 220 million every year toward synthetic biology research and development.

Browse Adjoining Reports:

Synthetic Biology Technology MarketForecast to 2028 - COVID-19 Impact and Global Analysis ByType (Gene Synthesis, Genome Engineering, Sequencing, Bioinformatics, Cloning, Site-Directed Mutagenesis, Microfluidics, Nanotechnology); Application (Medical, Industrial, Food and Agriculture, Others) and Geography.

Oligonucleotide Synthesis Market Forecast to 2027 Global Analysis by Product (Synthesized Oligonucleotides, Reagents, and Equipment), Application (Research, Diagnostics, and Therapeutics), and End User (Academic Research Institutes, Pharmaceutical & Biotechnology Companies, Diagnostic Laboratories, and Other End Users).

Gene Synthesis Market to 2025 - Global Analysis and Forecasts By Products & Services (Services, Consumable, Software), Application (Research & Development Activities, Diagnostics, Therapeutics, Others) End Users (Academic & Research Institutes, Biotech & Pharmaceutical Companies, Diagnostic Laboratories, Others) and Geography.

Genomics MarketForecast to 2027 - COVID-19 Impact and Global Analysis by Technology (Sequencing, Microarray, PCR, Nucleic Acid Extraction and Purification, and Others), Product & Service (Instruments/Systems, Consumables, and Services), Application (Diagnostics, Drug Discovery and Development, Precision/Personalized Medicine, Agriculture & Animal Research, and Others) and End User (Research Centers, Hospitals and Clinics, Pharmaceutical & Biotechnology Companies, and Others).

Molecular Biology Enzymes, Kits, and Reagents MarketForecast to 2028 - COVID-19 Impact and Global Analysis By Product (Enzymes and Kits & Reagents), Application (Epigenetics, Sequencing, Synthetic Biology, Polymerase Chain Reaction, and Other), End User (Biotechnological & Pharmaceutical Companies, Hospitals & Diagnostic Centres, and Academic & Research Institutes), and Geography.

Genome Editing Market Forecast to 2028 - COVID-19 Impact and Global Analysis By Technology (CRISPR, TALEN, Antisense, and Others), Application (Cell Line Engineering, Genetic Engineering, Diagnostic Applications, Drug Discovery, and Others), and End User (Pharmaceutical and Biotechnology Companies, Academic and Research Institutes, and Clinical Research Organizations).

Biohacking Market Forecast to 2028 - COVID-19 Impact and Global Analysis By Product (Sensors, Smart Drugs, Strains, Wearables, Others); Application (Synthetic biology, Genetic engineering, Forensic science, Diagnosis and treatment, Drug testing, Others); End User (Pharmaceutical and biotechnological companies, Forensic laboratories, Others) and Geography.

Enzymatic DNA Synthesis Market Forecast to 2028 - COVID-19 Impact and Global Analysis By Product Type (Custom DNA Synthesis, DNA Library Synthesis); Application (Synthetic Biology, Genetic Engineering, Therapeutic Antibodies, Vaccine Design, Others); End User (Academic and Research Institutes, Biotech and Pharmaceutical Companies, Diagnostic Laboratories, Other) and Geography.

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The Insight Partners is a one stop industry research provider of actionable intelligence. We help our clients in getting solutions to their research requirements through our syndicated and consulting research services. We specialize in industries such as Semiconductor and Electronics, Aerospace and Defense, Automotive and Transportation, Biotechnology, Healthcare IT, Manufacturing and Construction, Medical Device, Technology, Media and Telecommunications, Chemicals and Materials.

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Synthetic Biology Market Size Worth $37.85 Billion, Globally, by 2028 at 20% CAGR - Exclusive Report by The Insight Partners - PR Newswire

The U.S. could soon have a new COVID vaccine on the market but this one will be different from the others.

Novavax asked the Food and Drug Administration to authorize its COVID-19 vaccine for adults in late-January and that application remains under review, but the company recently released data surrounding a new trial that could target both flu and COVID at the same time.

So what exactly is Novavax and what should you know about the vaccine? Here's a breakdown.

The Novavax vaccine differs from Pfizer and Moderna's mRNA vaccines in that it relies on an older technology thats been used for years to make shots for diseases like influenza and pertussis. The Maryland-based Novavax drugmaker uses genetic engineering to grow harmless copies of the coronavirus spike protein in insect cells. Scientists then extract and purify the protein and then mix in an immune-boosting chemical.

For certain groups of people particularly young men the mRNA vaccines carry a slightly elevated risk of a heart condition called myocarditis. Novavax's vaccine has not been linked to myocarditis.

But in addition, the company is also in clinical trials of a version of its vaccine that would target both COVID and flu at the same time. The company said its first phase of the trial showed the potential for triggering an antibody response to both viruses, though further study is needed. A second phase of the trial is set to begin "by the end of 2022."

"We continue to evaluate the dynamic public health landscape and believe there may be a need for recurrent boosters to fight both COVID-19 and seasonal influenza," Dr. Gregory M. Glenn, president of research and development for Novavax, said in a statement. "We're encouraged by these data and the potential path forward for a combination COVID-19-influenza vaccine as well as stand-alone vaccines for influenza and COVID-19."

Neither version of the vaccine has been authorized for use in the U.S.

In a statement to NBC Chicago Monday, the company said a meeting could be scheduled "in the near future."

"We continue to have a productive dialogue with the FDA as they review data and we answer inquiries related to clinical and manufacturing data as expected," Novavax said in its statement. "We look forward to scheduling our VRBPAC meeting in the near future as indicated by the FDA."

If cleared for emergency use in the United States, it would provide an alternative to the popular mRNA-based shots from Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna.

Where is Novavax authorized currently?

The vaccine is already available for use in at least 170 countries.

The European Medicines Agency gave Novavaxs two-dose COVID-19 vaccine for adults the green light inDecember; the shot has also been cleared by Indonesia, Australia and the World Health Organization, among others.

Japans health ministry on Tuesday formally approved Novavax's COVID-19 vaccine, a fourth foreign-developed tool to combat the infections as the country sees signs of a resurgence led by a subvariant of fast-spreading omicron.

According to the company, "serious and severe adverse events were low in number and balanced between vaccine and placebo groups" during clinical trials.

The company notes that the most common reactions were headache, nausea or vomiting, pain at the injection site, fatigues and muscle pain.

Novavax has run into repeated production problems and mainly relies on other factories to make its vaccine. It has delayed delivery of its shots to numerous countries in Europe and despite pledges to make 250 million doses available to COVAX,not a single vaccinehas been shared with the U.N.-backed effort to distribute shots to poorer countries.

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What is Novavax? How This COVID Vaccine Differs From Others, When It Could Be Authorized - NBC Chicago

Food supply chain hangovers due to the pandemic and the global impact of the invasion of Ukraine have enticed many to question the global nature of our food systems.

Some are suggesting we need to deglobalize and refocus our energy into making most economies around the world food sovereign, including Canada.

Given what the world is about to face this year, with millions experiencing acute hunger, its hard to argue against such a claim. But global trade over the years, especially for Canada, has been nothing short of a godsend, and brushing any of it to the side would be to our detriment.

First off, we should be clear on one fundamental reality. The world is still all about the United States and China. Everyone else adjusts along the way, including Canada.

A total of 35 per cent of Chinas exports go to the United States. China is also Americas number 1 customer, trade-wise.

Canada, in the grand scheme of things, matters very little.

About 15 per cent of all calories on Earth come from wheat. Corn covers a lot of calorific ground as well. With Ukraine out, coupled with sanctions against Russia, the global wheat deficit this year will be a significant challenge given that 25 per cent of grain exports come from that region.

We are going to be short on wheat, corn, barley and many other commodities. By the time we are done with 2022, it is likely that more than 100 million additional people will experience either famine or acute hunger, something the world has never seen.

The entire planet operates under a 90-day production cycle of agricultural commodities. Canadas contribution occurs obviously in the fall, along with the U.S. and parts of Europe.

With Bidens recent ethanol mandate, almost 40 per cent of the U.S. corn crop is used for ethanol, not food. In Canada, its about 10 per cent. The food-for-fuel obsession is back, despite the looming crisis.

Canada will be fine for food access, but food will get more expensive. Poor nations will always lose access to their food supply first while richer nations will secure food supplies by paying more. Poor countries have no capacity to store calories at all.

Germany, typically a big buyer of Ukrainian commodities, stated retail food prices could increase by as much as 50 per cent this year. Commodity traders are buying and even hoarding what they can get to secure supplies for the next several months.

China is basically the only nation that could bridge the calorie gap many nations will face. Its significance cannot be underscored enough.

Among the challenges we are facing, fertilizer access is certainly one. These critical inputs for farmers are on average about US$1,500 a ton, five times what it was 12 months ago.

Farmers need fertilizers to produce crops, but the market is controlled by a handful of greedy multinationals that supply-manage their products to artificially boost prices. Some of them are in Canada. This needs to stop.

We are also paying for years of genetic engineering bashing in the media by groups that have used fear to put forward an organic-centric diet for affluent city dwellers. Additionally, groups have recklessly lobbied city councils and provincial governments to ban the use of chemicals.

Agriculture is and will always be about technologies, and fanatics will have to accept that.

Many are talking about deglobalizing our food economy. Deglobalization occurs when the economic interdependence between nations declines. For Canada, this would be a problem.

Canada is one of the largest countries in the world, with fewer than 39 million people. Deglobalization essentially means for Canadians a reduction in our standard of living. Almost 60 per cent of our wealth comes from trades. Trades make our food more diverse and affordable, but this doesnt mean our approach to trades doesnt need fixing.

High-functioning food systems are not immune to destructive forces like climate change and a global pandemic. Tyrants like Putin can only make matters worse.

A globalization 2.0 agenda will require not only getting nations to adhere to acceptable humanitarian conduct to participate in a global economy, they also need to make sure farmers are not held hostage by powerful companies controlling the fertilizer industry.

Canada will need to make agriculture more productive by way of a solid food autonomy strategy. The only province that has one is Quebec.

Canada needs a pathway to produce more food in an open economy, offering better access and affordable prices while growing agriculture through trades in a sustainable manner. A comprehensive strategy would include sustainable water practices and the use of renewable energy to support production.

If we do things right, in a few decades we could end up supplying water-scarce California with food, and not the other way around.

Bold thinking requires an audacious strategy. Canada can do better as we have so much to offer.

Global trades have worked for the betterment of the world and continue to do so. But attaining more resiliency will continue to be a work in progress.

Sylvain Charlebois is professor in food distribution and policy, and senior director of the AgriFood Analytics Lab at Dalhousie University.

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SYLVAIN CHARLEBOIS: Is Ottawa aware the world is on the brink of a food shortage? - Saltwire

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Credit: University of Tsukuba

Researchers from the University of Tsukuba have obtained atomic-level insights into the structure of the phosphoketolase enzyme, which will help researchers optimize this enzyme for chemical feedstock synthesis

Tsukuba, JapanPharmaceuticals, plastics, and other industries use enzymes to help synthesize molecular feedstocks. Enzymes taken straight from microbes such as bacteria are often not optimal for industrial use; one issue is that they often do not survive the elevated temperatures that speed up a synthesis. Genetic engineering can help tailor enzymes for these purposes. Knowledge of the exact atom-by-atom structure of the original enzyme is important in understanding enzyme function in nature, thus providing insight as to how to optimize the genetic engineering of enzymes. However, X-ray crystallography, a common technique for determining an enzyme's structure as a critical step in this process, can unfortunately alter its structure as well.

A technique known as cryogenic electron microscopy (cryo-EM) can provide a similar level of structural detail to that of X-ray crystallography whilst retaining the native enzyme's structure. In fact, the 2017 Nobel Prize in Chemistry was awarded for using this technique to determine the structure of biological molecules. Now, in a study recently published in theJournal of Structural Biology, researchers from the University of Tsukuba and collaborating partners have used cryo-EM to determine the structure of the fermentation enzyme phosphoketolase. This work will facilitate genetic engineering of the enzyme for industrial syntheses.

"X-ray crystallography has revolutionized how researchers identify protein structures, but the development of alternative means that better reflect the structures seen in biology are invaluable," explains senior author Professor Kenji Iwasaki. "Our use of cryo-EM as an imaging tool has uncovered previously obscured structural detail in phosphoketolase that will directly benefit the chemical industry."

The researchers report two main findings. First, eight phosphoketolase units cluster together into one structure, known as an octamer. Second, they observed details of a chain of amino acids known as the QN-loop that may dictate whether the functional site of the enzyme is open or closed. This is a possible means of enhancing the chemical output of the enzyme.

X-ray crystallography obscures the structural detail provided by cryo-EM. The octamer was previously observed by X-ray crystallography but was thought to simply be a measurement artifact. Additionally, X-ray crystallography misses the open/closed structural details.

"Industry will now be able to correlate the function of phosphoketolase with its correct structure," says Iwasaki. "We expect that these insights will remind researchers that X-ray crystallography isn't necessarily the final word on enzyme structure; cryo-EM can offer valuable insights."

The results of this study are important for optimizing the performance of a fermentation enzyme that is useful for performing chemical syntheses in industry. By using enzyme structural insights to maximize the success of genetic engineering, feedstocks can be produced for pharmaceuticals, plastics, and other materials in an environmentally sustainable manner.

###The article, High-resolution structure of phosphoketolase fromBifidobacterium longumdetermined by cryo-EM single-particle analysis, was published in the Journal of Structural Biology at DOI: 10.1016/j.jsb.2022.107842

Funding:This research was partially supported by Platform Project for Supporting Drug Discovery and Life Science Research [Basis for Supporting Innovative Drug Discovery and Life Science Research (BINDS)] from AMED under Grant Number JP 17am0101072 (to K.I. and N.M.).

Tweet:Major advance in reducing the chemical industrys carbon footprint may result from minor details missed in crystallographic experimentsPrimary Keyword:BiochemistrySecondary Keywords:Structural biology, protein functions, enzymology, biomolecules

Disclaimer: AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert system.

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New insights into fermentation enzyme will lower the chemical industry's carbon footprint - EurekAlert

When it comes to food, humanitys looking down the barrel of a gun. The worlds population will balloon to almost 9.8 billion by 2050, leading to an expected 60-percent increase in demand for food. And the devastating effects of climate change arent doing any favors for our farming.

But there may be a silver liningand it involves backpedaling evolution.

Researchers at Cornell University have found a way to resurrect an ancient form of an enzyme called rubisco, or RuBisCo, that promoted photosynthesis in plants millions of years ago, when Earth was experiencing one of its hottest climates in the last 50 million years. In a study published April 15 in the journal Science Advances, the researchers were able to use modern-day versions of rubisco to piece together an idea of what the enzyme looked like in ancient times. As a result, scientists may be able to harness its power once again to help ensure our crops of the future can adapt and resist climate change and provide us with all the fresh fruits, vegetables, and grains we need.

Although plants suck in carbon dioxide and produce oxygen, they arent exactly able to just make use of carbon dioxide in its current, gaseous form. Rubisco, short for ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase and the most abundant enzyme found on Earth, transforms carbon dioxide into a biologically friendly form, which plants use to build their tissues.

One problem with rubisco is that it also interacts with oxygen. This undesirable mingling produces toxic byproducts that slow down photosynthesis and, by extension, impact crop yield. Scientists have been sussing out ways to mitigate this issue and improve crop production by genetically engineering plants to make an algae-derived form of the enzyme or other tweaks. But these efforts havent really borne fruit yet.

To solve this conundrum, the Cornell researchers took a trip down memory lane25 to 50 million years ago when Earth was much hotter thanks to high amounts of atmospheric carbon dioxide (a whopping 500 to 800 parts per million, compared to the 413 ppm estimated in 2020). This meant modern-day rubisco likely had an ancestral version that was adapted to working under such extreme carbon dioxide levels.

The Cornell team recreated a phylogeny, a tree-like diagram that traces the evolutionary relationships between its members and shows how they evolved from a common ancestor. They did this by analyzing rubisco genes in plants of the Solanaceae (nightshade) family, which include potato, pepper, tomato, eggplant, and tobacco. And from this family tree, the researchers were able to create and gauge the biological activity of nearly a hundred of these potential ancient rubiscos in the lab using the bacteria E. coli.

Maureen Hanson and Myat Lin work in their lab in the Biotechnology Building at Cornell University.

Courtesy Cornell University

By getting a lot of [genetic] sequences of rubisco in existing plants, a phylogenetic tree could be constructed to figure out which rubiscos likely existed 20 to 30 million years ago, Maureen Hanson, a molecular biologist at Cornell and the new studys senior author, said in a press release. We were able to identify predicted ancestral enzymes that do have superior qualities compared to current-day enzymes.

The next big step for the research team will be to transfer the reconstructed versions of the rubisco genes into plants from the Solanaceae family like tomatoes and potentially others like rice or soybean and see whether photosynthesis activity improves and props up crop yield.

For the next step, we want to replace the genes for the existing rubisco enzyme in tobacco with these ancestral sequences using CRISPR [gene-editing] technology, and then measure how it affects the production of biomass, Hanson said. We certainly hope that our experiments will show that by adapting rubisco to present-day conditions, we will have plants that will give greater yields.

To a stressed planet with many hungry mouths to feed, that sounds like a good start.

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Ancient Protein Rubisco Could Be Used to Save Future Food Crops From Dying in Hot Climates - The Daily Beast

Multi-project agreement involves engineering of anaerobic species, a critical component for microbiome medicines

SAN DIEGO and BOSTON, April 12, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Persephone Biosciences Inc., a synthetic biology company reimagining patient and infant health, and Ginkgo Bioworks (NYSE: DNA), the leading horizontal platform for cell programming, today announced a collaboration to develop a novel therapeutics based on the bacterial genus Bacteroides.

(PRNewsfoto/Ginkgo Bioworks)

Bacteroides species are among the most common members of the microbiota of animals, especially in the gastrointestinal tract, and are likely a useful tool for stable and long-term delivery of microbial medicines. Unlike many other gut microbes, Bacteroides have been shown to be a good candidate for genetic engineering. Persephone is pioneering the use of synthetic biology for the development of microbial products that impact patient and infant health, which requires the ability to engineer Bacteroides strains for therapeutic applications. This demands a set of reliable and generalizable genetic tools for rapid Bacteroides engineering to optimize therapeutic properties. Ginkgo and Persephone will collaborate on the design and synthesis of such a toolkit as well as the development of novel microbial therapeutic using such tool kit.

"We love supporting early-stage biotechs like Persephone to accelerate groundbreaking and meaningful work at its very genesis," said Jason Kelly, co-founder and CEO of Ginkgo Bioworks. "The microbial medicines space is one we are deeply committed to, and we look forward to further developing our anaerobic engineering capability to help foster the next-generation treatments Persephone is developing."

"This collaboration not only provides Persephone with critical engineering capabilities, but also sets the stage for us to further partner with Ginkgo, and access its platform's scale, on additional future projects," said Stephanie Culler, co-founder and CEO of Persephone Biosciences. "We believe Ginkgo's scalability provides us with the opportunity to de-risk and accelerate our programs, which in turn could enable us to improve patient outcomes faster."

Story continues

About Persephone BiosciencesPersephone is pioneering the use of synthetic biology for the development of microbial products that impact patient and infant health. Persephone is building an end-to-end platform to industrialize the development of engineered cells that restore health to damaged human ecosystems. The company was founded in the summer of 2017 by synthetic and metabolic engineering pioneers, Stephanie Culler PhD, and Steve Van Dien PhD. For more information, visit http://www.persephonebiosciences.com.

About Ginkgo BioworksGinkgo 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 http://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 potential success of the partnership and Ginkgo's cell programming 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) the effect of Ginkgo's 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 operates and 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, (vi) the risk of downturns in demand for products using synthetic biology, (vii) 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, and (viii) changes to the biosecurity industry, including due to advancements in technology, emerging competition and evolution in industry demands, standards and regulations. 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 29, 2022 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:investors@ginkgobioworks.com

GINKGO BIOWORKS MEDIA CONTACT:press@ginkgobioworks.com

PERSEPHONE BIOSCIENCES CONTACTS:Dr. Stephanie CullerCEO and Co-founderPersephone Biosciences, Inc.press@persephonebiome.com

Cision

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SOURCE Ginkgo Bioworks

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Persephone Biosciences and Ginkgo Bioworks Announce Collaboration to Develop Novel Therapeutics - Yahoo Finance

We went on a hunt for the coolest (and spookiest) stories about bringing vulnerable animals back from the brink of extinction or, in some cases, bringing them back from the dead.

De-extincting the Tassie tiger: an Australian Jurassic Park?

In a stunning announcement in March, the University of Melbourne announced it had received $5 million in funding for a new research lab, the Thylacine Integrated Genomics Research Lab (TIGRR), which will primarily look to bring back the extinct thylacine (Tasmanian tiger) using genetic engineering and cloning techniques.

Once abundant in Tasmania, the tigers were hunted to extinction by European settlers who thought they were killing their livestock.

The ambitious new project will take a thylacine genome, salvaged from a preserved specimen, and use it as a map to re-engineer the genome inside a living cell from the creatures closest living relative, the Dunnart. Then, it will in theory clone a living thylacine from that living cell.

But, to paraphrase Jeff Goldblum, is this a case of spending so much time wondering whether they could, they never stopped to think whether they should?

Read more here.

Lost South American wildflower named extinctus rediscovered (but still endangered)

In a rare but beautiful case of redemption, the orange tropical wildflowerGasteranthus extinctus,endemic to the Andean foothills in Ecuador, was thought to have gone extinct 40 years ago.

But in a stroke of luck, a team of researchers who set out in hopes of rediscovering the plant managed to find a specimen growing, proving that its still clinging on (though still perilously endangered).

We walked into Centinela thinking it was going to break our heart, and instead we ended up falling in love, said one of the lead researchers.

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Read the full article here.

Bringing back the iconic woolly mammoth

Back in 2017, scientists from Harvard University stunned the world when they announced plans to bring back the iconic woolly mammoth.

These iconic, massive elephant-like creatures had shaggy fur that helped them brave the frosty wilds of the last Ice Age.

De-extincting the mammoths, the scientists said, would be possible because mammoth DNA remains in frozen carcasses found buried in the permafrost in places like Siberia. They say theyre going to use elephant DNA to help patch up the holes, and create a living mammoth cell, which they will implant into an elephant to carry to term, giving birth to a real life woolly mammoth.

But, why do it?According to Revive and Restore, a genomic research and restoration project, the absence of the woolly mammoths from the tundra stopped the compaction of snow, meaning extreme winter cold didnt penetrate the soil, leading to the accelerated melting of the permafrost.

So, the theory goes, these new mammoths will help reverse the melting of these ice stores that are full of greenhouse gases.

Read on for more.

Bringing back the Christmas Island rat

It might be a slightly less iconic species, but the Christmas Island rat was yet another fatality of European expansion, vanishing from the island 119 years ago because of diseases brought from the strange, foreign land.

This rat still has many living relative species, making it potentially a model species for this kind of de-extinction.

Read on for more.

Link:
Wrap: four organisms that could be brought back from the brink of extinction (and beyond) - Cosmos