| News
Ginkgo Bioworks to acquire Basel-based firm FGen AG
15.03.2022
The US biotechnology firm Ginkgo Bioworks has agreed a takeover deal for the startup FGen. The Basel-based firm develops technologies for programming cells, microbes and proteins for a range of different applications.

Ginkgo Bioworks is seeking to further expand its platform for cell programming with the acquisition of the Basel-based startup FGen AG. The biotech firm from Boston, Massachusetts, has set itself the target of being able to program cells as easily as is today the case for computers. These programmed cells are used in the areas of agriculture and food production as well as in the chemicals industry and life sciences sector. According to a press release, FGen is active in the same sectors and also offers its customers cells, microbes and proteins developed for specific applications.
“We have worked with the FGen team for several years and believe their technology and world-class scientists will allow us to further improve our ability to explore an exponentially wider design space and deliver more value for our customers”, comments Barry Canton co-founder and Chief Technology Officer of Ginkgo, in the press release.
Upfront payment for FGen
FGen was founded back in 2011 as a spin-off from the Basel-based Department of Biosystems Science and Engineering (D-BSSE) of the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich (ETH). The firm is located in the Technologiepark Basel. For its work on cells, microbes and proteins, the company developed an ultra-high throughput screening platform based on nanoliter reactor technology. Ginkgo wants to significantly increase its own screening options and, in so doing, develop enzymes or cell lines that can be used for various applications. “Our team has spent the last decade building one of the most advanced screening platforms in the world in the hopes of enabling breakthrough discoveries and products across industries”, Andreas Meyer, CEO of FGen, explains in the press release.
The takeover is expected to be completed as soon as possible. FGen will receive an upfront payment, while additional contingent consideration will depend, for example, on the integration of the FGen platform into the infrastructure of Ginkgo Bioworks.
Share this article
Sign up to receive our newsletter in your inbox.
You may also be interested in
KUORI developing biodegradable plastics
The Basel-based cleantech company KUORI GmbH develops alternative materials for conventional plastics. The aim is to reduce the accumulation of...
Read MoreCell and gene therapies gain momentum in Basel
Companies specializing in the research and development of innovative cell and gene therapies continue to spring up all around the...
Read MoreBLKB expanding support for startups
BLKB offers particularly promising SMEs and startups financial support within the framework of the “100 fürs Baselbiet” program. These companies...
Read MoreCombatting the rise of antimicrobial resistance
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a growing global threat that, without intervention, could lead to as many as 10 million deaths...
Read MoreAMR Action Fund invests in new antibiotics developed by BioVersys
The AMR Action Fund has made its first European investment in BioVersys, which is headquartered at Tech Park Basel. The...
Read MoreInvestors give Resistell 8.5 million Swiss francs
Resistell AG has secured 8.5 million Swiss francs in the first part of its series B funding round. The biotechnology...
Read More