We’re thrilled to announce our new collaboration with Factorial Biotechnologies, an emerging single-cell sequencing company with a novel intracellular library preparation technology.
Through this partnership, Factorial will leverage Ginkgo Enzyme Services to develop a novel isothermal DNA polymerase for use in their single-cell next-generation sequencing (NGS) library prep kit. Given our extensive expertise in this space, Ginkgo will provide these services under our success-based pricing model, created to help companies de-risk their research and development efforts.
Single-cell sequencing is a promising technique to better understand genetic and functional diversity within complex tissues and biological systems, but its impact has been limited, due to complex laboratory workflows and high cost.
Factorial Biotechnologies aims to dramatically simplify the workflow of single-cell sequencing with an extraction-free technology that makes it possible for complete NGS libraries to be prepared inside of intact cells within a mixed cell population. The potential for this scalable, high-throughput, and cost-efficient technology spans scientific research in the healthcare and life science industries, including precision oncology, immunology, cell and gene therapy, and quality control and screening for synthetic biology. With Factorial’s in-cell library prep technology and barcoding scheme, single-cell libraries can also be prepared using digital PCR workflows.
To support this promising technology, Ginkgo will lead a campaign in P. pastoris to develop a novel enzyme — isothermal DNA polymerase — instrumental to Factorial’s innovative NGS library prep kit. Our advanced ultra high throughput screening methods can help identify unique enzymes and valuable reagents with desired activity and functions for innovative life science tools and research. Performing discovery and high throughput screening in our proprietary P. pastoris expression system enables synergy between early innovation and manufacturability of these valuable reagents.
“We look forward to working with Ginkgo to develop and optimize a unique and important piece of our workflow. We’re eager to see our cost-effective, high throughput technology help researchers and clinicians deliver on the promise of single-cell genomics.”
John Wells, Co-Founder and CEO of Factorial Biotechnologies
We are so excited to power Factorial’s differentiated technology on our platform. We believe Factorial’s extraction-free library prep will be a game-changer for single-cell sequencing, and we’re proud to help play a part in it. Ginkgo Enzyme Services is uniquely suited to rapidly enable novel molecular diagnostic assays through broad metagenomic searches and efficient AI-enabled enzyme engineering.
Enzymes power a diverse array of applications across industries from industrial processing, chemical manufacturing, therapeutics, as well as applications such as Factorial’s innovation in life sciences and molecular diagnostics. Ginkgo’s platform enables discovery and development of enzymes to enable innovators across industries who seek to make better technologies more accessible.
To learn more about Ginkgo Enzyme Services and how you can access Ginkgo’s success-based pricing, please visit ginkgobioworks.com/enzyme-services/.
Find the full press release here along with all of the latest news from the Ginkgo team.
