Evonetix, the Company developing semiconductor scale technology to improve access to gene synthesis, today announced its first placement of a DNA synthesis development platform for evaluation at Imperial College London. This is the Company’s first platform to be installed in an external scientific setting; a significant milestone as it continues to optimize its gene synthesis technology in preparation for customer use and commercialization.
The platform has been placed in labs led by Dr Marko Storch, Head of Synthetic Biology and Automation, London Biofoundry, and Professor Paul Freemont, Head of Structural and Synthetic Biology, Department of Infectious Disease, Imperial College London. The installation of this platform follows the delivery of Evonetix’s chip-synthesized DNA for evaluation to Dr Jenny Molloy, Co-chair of the Engineering Biology Interdisciplinary Research Centre at the University of Cambridge earlier this year.1
Evonetix’s DNA synthesis platform combines patented semiconductor chip design and proprietary, thermally controlled synthesis chemistry, bringing novel approaches to chemistry and process control to enable DNA synthesis on the benchtop of any lab. Better access to gene-length DNA will be transformative for engineering biology research, with applications across the healthcare, biotech, agriculture, and food industries.
Colin McCracken, Chief Executive Officer at Evonetix, said: “Reaching this major milestone demonstrates continued confidence in the progress of our technology and represents a significant step forward in delivering on our vision to place benchtop gene synthesis into the hands of all researchers.”
Dr Marko Storch, Head of Synthetic Biology and Automation, London Biofoundry, Imperial College London, commented: “Evonetix’s platform is an exciting new development in DNA synthesis, and we are delighted to have the opportunity to host it in our lab. Rapid access to gene-length DNA synthesis will transform our research capabilities and drive the development of our sophisticated and innovative automation platforms and workflows to support cutting-edge synthetic biology research.”
Dr Paul Freemont, Head of Structural and Synthetic Biology, Department of Infectious Disease, Imperial College London, added: “We are excited to be the first to receive Evonetix’s DNA synthesis platform. The limitations of the current service model for accessing long synthetic DNA, including turnaround time and costs, create barriers in our synthetic biology research. Evonetix’s technology has the potential to completely change the way we produce and use DNA, enabling flexibility and speed that will have a significant impact on the way we conduct our research into human disease and infection.”
- Press release (10th May, 2023) Evonetix delivers first chip-synthesized DNA to the University of Cambridge
