BOSTON and GABORONE, Botswana, July 17, 2023 /PRNewswire/ — Ginkgo Bioworks (NYSE: DNA), which is constructing the main platform for cell programming and biosecurity, and the Ministry of Health (“MoH”) representing the Government of the Republic of Botswana in the present day introduced a pathogen monitoring program at key ports of entry to determine new and rising variants of SARS-CoV-2.

Through this program, Ginkgo’s biosecurity and public well being unit, Concentric by Ginkgo, will collaborate with the MoH to watch wastewater and nasal swab samples collected on a voluntary, nameless foundation from arriving worldwide vacationers for SARS-CoV-2 surveillance. Ginkgo and the MoH will work collectively to ascertain Sir Seretse Khama International Airport (GBE) as a brand new node in a worldwide community of pathogen monitoring infrastructure, complementing the insights generated from Concentric’s present travel biosecurity programs at a number of main worldwide airports. The program builds on Ginkgo’s previously announced MOU to develop and implement biosecurity capabilities in Botswana, and also will incorporate pathogen monitoring at land borders, at municipal wastewater remedy works, and for livestock within the meals system.

“I am proud of the team and our partners for jointly laying the foundation for the biosecurity infrastructure necessary to help prevent the next pandemic. Botswana is protecting its citizens and bordering communities by joining a global network of public health leaders committed to ensuring the next pandemic threat won’t catch us by surprise,” mentioned Matt McKnight, General Manager, Biosecurity at Ginkgo Bioworks.

This program is constructed upon a shared recognition by Concentric and the Botswana MoH of the significance of worldwide collaboration and cooperation to advertise world well being safety. Effective pathogen monitoring and knowledge sharing capabilities can empower authorities officers, neighborhood leaders, and different stakeholders to make knowledgeable public well being selections. Building biosecurity infrastructure and capability may also help the long-term growth of a knowledge-based financial system and biotechnology workforce.

Grace Muzila, Permanent Secretary within the Ministry of Health of Botswana noticed, “We are putting in place the tools that will enable us to detect and respond to future public health threats today, because biological threats will continue to emerge, and they will continue to put a strain on healthcare institutions in our country and globally.”

About Ginkgo Bioworks
Ginkgo Bioworks is the main horizontal platform for cell programming, offering versatile, end-to-end providers that clear up challenges for organizations throughout various markets, from meals and agriculture to prescribed drugs to industrial and specialty chemical compounds. Ginkgo’s biosecurity and public well being unit, Concentric by Ginkgo, is constructing world infrastructure for biosecurity to empower governments, communities, and public well being leaders to forestall, detect and reply to all kinds of organic threats. For extra data, go to ginkgobioworks.com and concentricbyginkgo.com, learn our blog, or observe us on social media channels corresponding to Twitter (@Ginkgo and @ConcentricByGBW), Instagram (@GinkgoBioworks and @ConcentricByGinkgo), or LinkedIn.

About the Botswana Ministry of Health
The Ministry of Health (MoH) of Botswana was established by an act of Parliament as a custodian of public well being in Botswana with a regulatory oversight operate. MoH is remitted to guard the general public from well being hazards and to make sure the supply of high quality well being providers to Botswana. It formulates acts, insurance policies, rules and norms, requirements and tips for well being providers.  As the important thing custodian of healthcare providers, virtually each village or neighborhood has a healthcare facility situated inside a 5km radius.

Forward-Looking Statements of Ginkgo Bioworks
This press launch accommodates sure forward-looking statements inside the that means of the federal securities legal guidelines, together with statements concerning the capabilities and potential success of the partnership and Ginkgo’s biosecurity platform. These forward-looking statements usually are recognized by the phrases “believe,” “can,” “project,” “potential,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “estimate,” “intend,” “strategy,” “future,” “opportunity,” “plan,” “may,” “should,” “will,” “would,” “will be,” “will continue,” “will likely result,” and comparable expressions. Forward-looking statements are predictions, projections and different statements about future occasions which can be primarily based on present expectations and assumptions and, in consequence, are topic to dangers and uncertainties. Many components might trigger precise future occasions to vary materially from the forward-looking statements on this press launch, together with however not restricted to: (i) volatility within the value of Ginkgo’s securities resulting from a wide range of components, together with adjustments within the aggressive and extremely regulated industries wherein Ginkgo operates and plans to function, variations in efficiency throughout rivals, and adjustments in legal guidelines and rules affecting Ginkgo’s enterprise, (ii) the flexibility to implement enterprise plans, forecasts, and different expectations, and to determine and notice extra enterprise alternatives, (iii) the chance of downturns in demand for merchandise utilizing artificial biology, (iv) the unpredictability of the period of the COVID-19 pandemic and the demand for COVID-19 testing and the industrial viability of our COVID-19 testing enterprise, (v) adjustments to the biosecurity trade, together with resulting from developments in know-how, rising competitors and evolution in trade calls for, requirements and rules, (vi) our capability to appreciate the anticipated advantages of merger and acquisition transactions, (vii) the result of any authorized proceedings in opposition to Ginkgo, together with because of current acquisitions, (viii) our capability to appreciate the anticipated advantages from and the success of our Foundry platform applications, (ix) our capability to efficiently develop engineered cells, bioprocesses, knowledge packages or different deliverables, and (x) the product growth or commercialization success of our clients. The foregoing record of things is just not exhaustive. You ought to rigorously take into account the foregoing components and the opposite dangers and uncertainties described within the “Risk Factors” part of Ginkgo’s quarterly report on Form 10-Q filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) on May 10, 2023 and different paperwork filed by Ginkgo now and again with the SEC. These filings determine and tackle different necessary dangers and uncertainties that would trigger precise occasions and outcomes to vary materially from these contained within the forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements converse solely as of the date they’re made. Readers are cautioned to not put undue reliance on forward-looking statements, and Ginkgo assumes no obligation and doesn’t intend to replace or revise these forward-looking statements, whether or not because of new data, future occasions, or in any other case. Ginkgo doesn’t give any assurance that it’ll obtain its expectations.

GINKGO MEDIA CONTACT:
[email protected]

GINKGO INVESTOR CONTACT:
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BOTSWANA MINISTRY OF HEALTH MEDIA CONTACT:
[email protected]

SOURCE Ginkgo Bioworks