Synbio Technologies Files IPO Prospectus to Accelerate Leadership in Synthetic Biology Enabling Technologies
In 2010, synthetic biology reached a major milestone. The team led by American scientist Craig Venter created the first artificially synthesized cell, “Synthia,” opening the door to artificially synthesized life.
Meanwhile, the tools and technologies of synthetic biology are continuously being enriched and innovated. With the emergence of CRISPR-Cas9 genome editing technology, low-cost DNA synthesis, next-generation DNA sequencing, and high-throughput screening methods, as well as the ongoing validation of the “Design-Build-Test-Learn” (DBTL) workflow and advances in engineering biology, synthetic biology has entered a period of rapid development.
Over the subsequent decades, synthetic biology has become increasingly integrated with various global industries, spanning from chemical engineering and energy to healthcare, from advanced materials to environmental remediation, and extending to green manufacturing and the sustainable production of Earth’s resources. The scope of its applications continues to expand. Today, synthetic biology is regarded as “the key to understanding life” and “a disruptive technology that will shape the future.”
Suzhou Hongxun Biotechnologies CO.,LTD. (hereinafter referred to as “Hongxun Biotech”) is a synthetic biology-enabling technology enterprise that has emerged alongside the rapid development of synthetic biology.. Amid the wave of synthetic biology, Suzhou Hongxun Biotechnologies CO.,LTD. has been deeply engaged in the tooling layer of synthetic biology since its inception, laying out the upstream and downstream DNA synthesis industry chain with leading design capabilities and advanced manufacturing infrastructure.
Currently,Hongxun Biotechnologies has built an integrated synthetic biology empowerment platform centered on DNA manufacturing and biological design, providing global users with systematic solutions covering all stages of the DBTL cycle. Its business scope includes diverse services such as intelligent sequence design, primer/probe synthesis, gene synthesis, RNA synthesis, library synthesis, recombinant antibody and protein expression, DNA sequencing, gene editing, and cell factory construction and engineering.。
Hongxun Biotechnologies was founded in 2013 by a team of professionals with extensive experience in industry technology R&D, management, and marketing.The company’s founding team comprises senior experts in the field of genetic technology, with core members averaging nearly 20 years of experience in genetic technology and the industry. They have previously led the establishment and operation of world-leading genetic technology platforms.。
Yang Ping, Chairman and Co-founder of Hongxun Biotechnologies, stated, “The advent of Synthia represents not only a scientific breakthrough in synthetic biology but also opens up new directions for industrial development. As the foundational technology of synthetic biology, gene technology holds immense application prospects in its advancement. Therefore, the core team established the company based on their extensive experience in the gene technology sector and their vision for synthetic biology, aiming to provide an efficient technical platform for applications in this field.”
Leveraging team advantages and technological accumulation,Over the past decade, Hongxun Biotechnologies has achieved a series of milestone advancements in both technology and corporate development.。
In terms of technological development, Hongxun Biotechnologies centers on its core technologies of “advanced DNA manufacturing and leading biological design,” and has taken the lead in China to establish a series of advanced biotechnology translation and application platforms, including a DNA synthesis platform and a biological design platform. Notably,Hongxun Biotechnologies continues to deepen the digitization of synthesis experience and the algorithmic enhancement of data capabilities. Through the integrated innovation of AI and synthetic biology, it pioneered the establishment of China’s first industrial-grade digital DNA storage platform in 2017, providing a synthetic biology solution for the long-term, secure storage of massive biological data.。
In terms of corporate development, Hongxun BiotechnologiesIt has completed multiple rounds of financing, with investors including BGI Genomics, BGI Tech, Kaifeng Venture Capital, XieLi Investment, Yahui Investment, Dongpingheng Capital, and Chengdu Science and Technology Innovation Investment, among other renowned institutions.. Furthermore, the company has established strategic partnerships with leading international firms such as Fusion Antibodies, Twist Bioscience, and GSL Biotech to jointly drive the development and innovation of the synthetic biology industry.
In 2017, Hongxun Biotechnologies, as a synthetic biology-enabled technology company, successfully listed on the National Equities Exchange and Quotations (NEEQ), becoming China’s first publicly traded DNA synthesis company.。
Source: Data from the official website of Suzhou Hongxun Biotechnologies CO.,LTD; Graphic by VCBeat
To date, Hongxun Biotechnologies has built a synthetic biology-enabled technology platform encompassing the entire DBTL cycle, with its core technology system comprehensively covering technologies at the tool layer of synthetic biology. Among these,The company is an industry leader in the research, development, and design of gene-editing algorithm tools, and has pioneered AI-assisted gene synthesis within the sector.Furthermore, the Company currently operates dual R&D and manufacturing centers in China and the United States, with business presence spanning over 100 countries and regions worldwide. Its customer base covers key application areas of synthetic biology, including enterprises in biopharmaceuticals, in vitro diagnostics, synthetic biology, agriculture, and food sectors, as well as research institutions engaged in related scientific studies.
Since its inception, Hongxun Biotechnologies has focused on developing next-generation DNA “read-write-edit” technologies. In May 2014, it launched its first DNA synthesis technology platform, Syno®Following C, Hongxun Biotechnologies subsequently launched Syno®-GS and Syno®HT’s Two Major DNA Synthesis Platforms.
Image source: Hongxun Biotechnologies
Among them, Syno®The GS DNA synthesis platform leverages molecular cloning techniques to perform enzymatic assembly and gene synthesis based on short single-stranded DNA fragments, while Syno®HT is a next-generation DNA synthesis platform featuring high throughput and low cost, with chip-based DNA synthesis at its core. It can reduce DNA synthesis costs to one-third or less of the original level, holding promise for achieving “beyond Moore’s Law” reductions in DNA synthesis costs.
At Syno®Building on its synthesis technologies, Hongxun Biotechnologies has further designed and developed a research service platform and an industrial translation platform—the Hongxun “GPS” (Genotype-Phenotype-Synotype) Platform. Grounded in the central dogma of life sciences, this platform introduces the concept of “Synotype” (artificially synthesized genotype) alongside Genotype and Phenotype, organically integrating all three. It provides a novel perspective and methodology for deciphering genes, enabling more precise gene design and synthesis in practical applications.
In addition to its strategic layout in gene sequencing, editing, and synthesis technologies, Hongxun Biotechnologies has established a high-efficiency platform for engineered strain development in synthetic biology. This platform encompasses both *Escherichia coli* and yeast cell factories. By leveraging AI-driven metabolic pathway design, Hongxun Biotechnologies can rapidly complete the synthesis of large-scale synthetic biology constructs (10 kb–200 kb), as well as genomic editing in both *E. coli* and yeast, within 2–10 weeks, achieving a success rate exceeding 80%.
However, Hongxun Biotechnologies’ technological innovation does not stop there. With the continuous integration of AI and synthetic biology—two cutting-edge fields—the rapid development of AI is providing more tools and technical support for synthetic biology, thereby accelerating its iterative advancement.
“We aim to develop Hongxun Biotechnologies into a highly data-driven synthetic biology enabling technology company,”Experience Digitization, Data Algorithmization, and Algorithm Toolification“is one of the methods to achieve a high degree of datafication,” said Yang Ping, Chairman and Co-founder of Hongxun Biotechnologies.
Thus,Driven by the core pillars of “advanced manufacturing and leading design,” and leveraging AI combined with the synthetic biology expertise accumulated by its core team over many years, Hongxun Biotechnologies has independently developed Alpha GS, an AI-assisted gene synthesis technology, becoming the first in the industry to achieve AI-assisted gene synthesis.。
Alpha GS is a gene synthesis technology featuring AI-assisted automated design, along with optimized reagents and processes, boasting industry-leading core technologies and process designs. First, Alpha GS utilizes proprietary NGTMCodon Optimization Algorithms and Software: Increasing Protein Expression Success Rate to Over 90% and Protein Expression Level by More Than 50%
In terms of synthesis processes, Alpha GS’s gene synthesis primer splicing PCR process utilizes proprietary HiFi GSMix reagents combined with standardized PCR amplification program design, increasing the success rate and splicing length of gene synthesis primers by several fold; its gene synthesis fragment and vector cloning process is achieved through patented homologous recombination Syno®Assembly Mix Reagents and High-Throughput Transformation Processes Can Increase Gene Cloning Efficiency and Throughput by More Than 10-Fold.
Data released by Hongxun Biotechnologies shows that since 2018, the company has collaborated with internationally renowned CGT firms, leveraging its proprietary technology to facilitate the efficient synthesis of expression plasmids. Over the past five years, this client has continuously deepened its cooperation with Hongxun Biotechnologies, with technical projects reaching a value in the millions of US dollars.
Building on its existing synthetic biology technology platform and AI expertise, Hongxun Biotechnologies has also expanded into the field of DNA data storage. The company has mastered end-to-end industrial-scale DNA storage encoding and decoding technologies, as well as DNA storage sequence synthesis technologies, and holds multiple pioneering patents.
Since then,Hongxun Biotechnologies has established a synthetic biology-enabling technology platform spanning from oligonucleotides and DNA fragments to chromosome/genome synthesis and assembly, and possesses next-generation synthetic biology technology platforms centered around globally advanced DNA synthesis systems.。
Building on a suite of core technologies centered on the manufacturing and directed evolution of natural molecules (such as DNA, RNA, and proteins), as well as the de novo design and manufacturing of non-natural central dogma molecules, Suzhou Hongxun Biotechnologies Co., Ltd. offers four major products and four platform series as one-stop solutions. Its product technology services and solutions cover all stages of the synthetic biology DBTL cycle.
Image source: Hongxun Biotechnologies
Synthetic biology adheres to the DBTL (Design-Build-Test-Learn) iterative cycle strategy, starting from deoxynucleotides at the foundational level and progressively constructing DNA fragments up to entire genomes. It advances from discrete components to functional modules and then to life system networks, creating novel functional living entities in a “bottom-up” manner, ultimately achieving the leap from non-living matter to living systems.
Guided by the core DBTL strategy, Suzhou Hongxun Biotechnologies CO.,LTD. leverages its synthetic biology-enabled platform to provide customers with product and technology solutions covering all stages of the DBTL cycle. The specific iterative process of Hongxun Biotech’s DBTL cycle is as follows:
1. Design Phase, leveraging computer-aided design to construct synthetic genes and biological circuits. Through systematic planning and simulation, the behavior of biological systems can be predicted in a virtual environment, providing robust guidance for subsequent experiments.
2. Build Phase, by employing technical approaches such as DNA synthesis, large-fragment assembly, and gene editing, theoretical concepts are concretely embodied within living organisms, laying the foundation for subsequent testing and evaluation.
3. Test Phase, obtaining actual behavioral data of organisms through precise experiments and measurements, and evaluating the performance of biological systems.
4. Learn Phase, conduct in-depth analysis based on test results and optimize designs by integrating acquired knowledge and experience. Through rapid learning and adjustment, biological systems can be quickly optimized, design schemes continuously improved, and constant innovation in synthetic biology and biomanufacturing driven forward.
As of now,Hongxun Biotechnologies has established collaborative partnerships with over 20,000 clients worldwide, spanning multiple sectors including pharmaceuticals, in vitro diagnostics (IVD), synthetic biology, agriculture, and food.. Partners include renowned pharmaceutical companies such as Biogen, Roche, and Eli Lilly, as well as Hengrui Medicine; leading CROs such as WuXi AppTec and Pharmaron; and academic and research institutions including Harvard University, Peking University, and Tsinghua University.
According to incomplete statistics,Since its inception, Hongxun Biotechnologies has synthesized nearly 10 billion bases, 1 million modified primers, and 1 million genes, with the company’s annual revenue growth rate consistently maintaining double-digit figures.。
Yang Ping, Chairman and Co-Founder of Hongxun Biotechnologies, stated, “Hongxun Biotechnologies leverages its accumulated expertise in DNA synthesis and regional development advantages. Powered by our core technology of ‘advanced manufacturing + leading design,’ the company’s synthetic biology-enabled technical services and solutions have integrated into the global supply chain, comprehensively empowering the development of downstream industries in synthetic biology.”
Building on this foundation, Suzhou Hongxun Biotechnologies CO.,LTD. is continuously strengthening collaborations with enterprises in other sectors, further developing innovative and competitive enabling tools, and expanding its global business operations, thereby consistently advancing the development of downstream applications in synthetic biology and the commercialization of related products worldwide.
For example, in March 2024,Hongxun Biotechnologies and Beijing BOE Sensing Technology Co., Ltd. Announce Strategic Partnership. Both parties will leverage their respective technical advantages and extensive experience to jointly advance the dimensional upgrade and directed evolution of upstream hardware and systems in synthetic biology, thereby enabling a more precise and rapid completion of the DBTL cycle.
Meanwhile, empowered by its synthetic biology technology platform and backed by experience in synthesizing 10 billion bases, Hongxun Biotechnologies is expanding the application boundaries of its technologies and laying out product development in downstream applications of synthetic biology.
Currently,Hongxun Biotechnologies has leveraged its synthetic biology-enabled technology platform to develop recombinant collagen with high yield and high performance for AAI (active ingredients in medical aesthetics).. In addition, by leveraging efficient NGTMLeveraging codon optimization technology and over a decade of experience in protein expression and purification, Suzhou Hongxun Biotechnologies CO.,LTD. provides global scientists with customized services for high-purity active proteins at scales ranging from milligrams to kilograms.To date, Hongxun Biotechnologies has successfully delivered 5,000+ recombinant proteins.。
According to McKinsey’s forecasts, synthetic biology is expected to generate a direct annual economic impact of $2–4 trillion globally over the next 10–20 years. By 2025, the economic impact of synthetic biology and biomanufacturing will reach $100 billion, with biotechnology capable of producing 60% of material goods in future global economic activities. Amid the current lack of new growth drivers in the global economy, the immense potential of synthetic biology and biomanufacturing will become a significant force driving economic growth and sustainable development.
Facing the $10 billion synthetic biology market, Yang Ping, Chairman and Co-founder of Suzhou Hongxun Biotechnologies CO.,LTD, stated: “Hongxun Biotechnologies aims to become a leader in synthetic biology-enabling technologies.“Looking ahead, amidst the wave of synthetic biology, Suzhou Hongxun Biotechnologies will continuously update and iterate its core technology of ‘Advanced Manufacturing + Leading Design,’ bringing quality and speed ever closer to their theoretical limits. By creating more breakthrough products and solutions, the company aims to provide global customers with higher-quality, more efficient synthetic biology technical services, ultimately driving the development and progress of the entire industry.”