‘Syngoi Technologies’: Columbus VP creates a new company in Bizkaia for synthetic DNA production
Today Columbus Venture Partners announces the creation of Syngoi Technologies, a biotechnology company engaged in the production of synthetic DNA through a new enzymatic process, owned by the company, that addresses the needs of advanced therapies where DNA is the fundamental starting material. This is the case of gene therapy and mRNA-based vaccines, emerging therapeutic strategies where manufacturing is an important bottleneck.
Syngoi has its own technology for the manufacture of its optimised synthetic DNA (orDNATM) which confers multiple advantages over traditional plasmid DNA. On the one hand, it does not require cell culture infrastructure and production times are reduced. On the other hand, it does not contain bacteria or antibiotic-resistant genes (relevant aspects for regulatory authorities). In addition, it offers advantages over other synthetic DNA, since it allows optimising the therapeutic response of the gene of interest, in accordance with the client’s use requirements, without any technological limitations.
Syngoi was created in 2021 and the works for the new facilities, located in the Bizkaia Science and Technology Park, begin in the last quarter of 2021 with the aim of being operational in the second quarter of 2022. It is expected that by the first quarter of 2023 the plant will be ready to produce in accordance with GMP quality (Good Manufacturing Standards) and will be a supplier to the leading companies in the growing market of advanced therapies: gene therapy and mRNA vaccines.
This infrastructure will involve an initial private investment of more than € 10M, creating dozens of high-level direct jobs. This reinforces Columbus’s commitment to the Basque Country and its positioning as one of the world’s leading production areas in advanced therapies. Javier Garcia, general partner from Columbus, adds: “We are delighted to announce the creation of Syngoi. It will be Columbus’s first investment in Bizkaia,and we think it will play a key role in the synthetic DNA production market.”
About Columbus Venture Partners
About Columbus Venture Partners. A Spanish venture capital investment management company with a singular focus on business opportunities emerging in the biotechnology and life sciences sector. Columbus VP supports the most innovative science that emerges in research centres and start-ups and stands by throughout its development until eventual marketing of new products and treatments that offer effective solutions to unmet medical needs.
Columbus VP has almost €235M under management in its funds Columbus INNVIERTE Life Science, Columbus Life Science Fund II and Columbus Life Science Fund III; andViralgen (CDMO gene therapy) is among its investees. Its team of professionals combines solid scientific, medical,and business knowledge with extensive experience in establishing and investing in biotechnology companies.
