SGI-DNA, a Synthetic Genomics, Inc. (SGI) company, was recently recognized by Frost & Sullivan for its groundbreaking innovation in genomic technologies for the BioXp™ 3200 System, an instrument with the capacity to simultaneously build 32 unique, double-stranded DNA fragments to study gene function, pathways, and whole genomes. Frost & Sullivan, leveraging over 50 years of experience in partnering with Global 1000 companies, evaluated the BioXp™ System's new product attributes and customer impact, and awarded SGI-DNA its 2015 North American Synthetic Biology New Product Innovation Award at a ceremony July 16, 2015, in Boston, Mass.
SGI-DNA, a wholly owned subsidiary of SGI, is commercializing technologies, reagents, software, and services around synthetic biology. Founded in 2013 and headquartered in La Jolla, Calif., SGI-DNA commercializes the technologies developed through SGI's core research and development efforts. Synthetic Genomics is making advancements in various scientific applications, such as vaccine development, agricultural biology, organ transplantation, and alternative food, energy and chemical source development.
One technology to emerge is the recently launched BioXp™ System, an automated DNA assembly benchtop instrument. The platform fully automates DNA assembly, building genes de novo from sequences. This first-of-its-kind instrument will allow researchers to perform their own gene assembly in-house, a task that previously required outsourcing to services providers. By performing the work in-house, laboratories are able to speed up the workflow, control their project timelines, and ensure the highest accuracy of their DNA constructs. Fully automated, the BioXp™ System provides a simple push-button walk-away workflow, allowing users to focus time and energy on other tasks, and run the instrument overnight.
"SGI-DNA's BioXp™ 3200 System is a major milestone in the synthetic biology field, allowing users to perform DNA assembly quickly and easily in-house, a task that previously required outsourcing," stated Frost & Sullivan Senior Industry Analyst Christi Bird. "This innovative instrument will help the biotechnology sector and other labs conducting synthetic biology-based projects to speed up and improve their workflows, leading to faster scientific advancements in their fields. For these reasons, SGI is the ideal recipient of the Frost & Sullivan New Product Innovation Award."
The award ceremony also included Cisco, GE Healthcare, and IBM Security. Laurence Warden, SGI-DNA's Vice President, Engineering and Instrumentation, and Nathan Wood, Senior Vice President, Synthetic Genomics & President, SGI-DNA, accepted the award. The SGI-DNA BioXp™ System team has achieved many milestones in 2015, including the manufacture and installation of multiple instruments for early access customers, including biotechnology companies, government laboratories, and research institutions.
"We are honored to have been recognized for new product innovation by Frost & Sullivan," said Warden. "This award is very gratifying for the team, who designed the BioXp™ System to match the vision of scientific thought leaders at SGI to provide entirely new and improved workflows for biomedical researchers."
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