Page 169 - CW E-Magazine (20-5-2025)

News from Abroad

SUSTAINABLE AND COMPETITIVE

Special show at K 2025 to highlight transformation

of plastics industry

The leading global exhibition for scientific spheres and NGOs, innova- will focus on climate protection and CO₂
the plastics and rubber industry, K tive start-ups and industry experts – reduction. Digitalisation and artificial
2025, scheduled to be held from 8 to 15 accompanied by interactive expert talks, intelligence will take centre stage on 11th
October in Düsseldorf, Germany, will round tables, guided tours of the trade fair October designated as ‘Smart Saturday’,
feature a special show – ‘Plastics shape and networking opportunities at the Start- while ‘Career Sunday’ on 12th October
the Future’– which will discuss and re- up Pitch, Science and Poetry Slam and will focus on people, besides the net-
veal how the plastics industry shapes the “Women in Plastics” event. working event “Women in Plastics”.
the transition to more sustainability,
digitalisation and social responsibility On 8th October, under the theme of On 13th October, two pitch sessions
on seven theme days. ‘The Power of Plastics’, two sessions will feature emerging companies and
chaired by Virginia Janssens (Manag- startups introducing for recycling, digitali-
Organised jointly by Plastics Europe ing Director of Plastics Europe) and sation, material development and
Deutschland and Messe Düsseldorf the Dr. Christine Bunte (Plastics Europe organic plastics. On ‘Visionary Tuesday’
show will provide insights into the cur- Deutschland) will highlight how innova- (14th October), under the theme
rent state and perspectives of transfor- tions and investment drive the industry. of ‘Plastics 2050’, circular design,
mation: featuring different focal topics bio-based raw materials, CCU and the
every day, discussions with high-rank- On 9th October, session will revolve avoidance of micro plastics will be
ing representatives from political and around circularity, while 10th October crucial topics.

Twist Bioscience and Ginkgo Bioworks revise

collaboration agreement

US-based biotech firms – Twist Bio- Under the terms of the revised “Ginkgo has been a trusted custo-
science and Ginkgo Bioworks – have three-year $15-mn agreement, Ginkgo mer of Twist since the early days of
renegotiated a collaboration agreement will continue to be a customer of Twist our synbio offering. As our custo-
signed in 2022. and will prepay annually for orders of mers proceed along their journeys and
Twist’s DNA products. Ginkgo will adapt their strategies, we continue to
Twist Bioscience has developed a receive preferential pricing for DNA find innovative ways to serve them
proprietary semiconductor-based syn- products with no required minimum well. With the updated agreement,
thetic DNA manufacturing process purchase volume. As credit against we will continue to supply Ginkgo
featuring a high-throughput silicon the agreement signed in 2022, Twist with DNA and also gain IP for
platform that allows it to miniaturise receives licenses and assignments for writing long DNA, that gives us
the chemistry necessary for DNA certain long DNA and other technology optionality to incorporate on our own
synthesis. This translates into time and as well as related reagents to comple- platform,” said Dr. Emily Leproust,
cost savings for its customers across ment its existing DNA synthesis port- CEO and co-founder of Twist Bio-
their workflows. folio of products, while Ginkgo retains science.
the rights to practice the IP transferred
Ginkgo Bioworks is a leading to Twist. “DNA synthesis is a core techno-
horizontal platform for cell program- logy for synthetic biology and we are
ming, providing end-to-end services This strategic acquisition com- happy to combine some of our long
that solve challenges for organisations plements Twist’s existing portfolio DNA technology with Twist to hope-
across diverse markets, from food of DNA synthesis products, further fully see more and varied offerings in
and agriculture to pharmaceuticals to strengthening its position as a leader in the market,” said Mr. Jason Kelly, CEO
industrial and speciality chemicals. the field. of Ginkgo Bioworks.

Chemical Weekly May 20, 2025 169

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