Enduro Genetics, a Copenhagen-based synthetic biology startup, has announced securing €12M in a Series A funding round led by Supernova Invest, NOON Ventures, and Sandwater. This funding aims to address persistent challenges in biomanufacturing through innovative genetic solutions. Enduro Genetics plans to accelerate the commercial deployment of its patented technology to resolve productivity issues that have long affected various sectors, including pharmaceuticals and sustainable materials. Amid global efforts to adopt environmentally friendly manufacturing processes, this funding positions the company as a player focused on industrial efficiency and reduced waste.
What challenges are addressed by Enduro Genetics?
Enduro Genetics seeks to overcome a longstanding issue in the biomanufacturing industry: productivity loss caused by genetic mutations during large-scale production. The €400B market for biomanufactured products, such as industrial enzymes and biodegradable materials, relies heavily on genetically engineered microorganisms. However, during production, stress conditions often lead to “cell-to-cell variation,” where non-productive cells outcompete their productive counterparts, eventually halting efficient manufacturing. Peter Rugbjerg, Founder and CSO of Enduro Genetics, remarked,
“Solving the cell-to-cell biomanufacturing challenge has plagued academia and industry for decades. At Enduro, we’re redefining bioprocesses with a new optimization technology to unlock biotechnology’s full potential, which we use to boost already very high-performing processes.”
How does Enduro Genetics plan to solve these inefficiencies?
Enduro Genetics has developed a patented technology named “synthetic addiction.” This genetic plug-in, created by CEO Christian Munch and CSO Peter Rugbjerg, ensures that only high-producing microbial cells survive and grow, effectively linking productivity to cell health. By doing so, the technology prevents the proliferation of non-productive cells, creating a stable and efficient microbial community. This approach not only enhances production scalability but also reduces costs, addressing the environmental and economic concerns of biomanufacturing industries. The company is already working with clients from sectors like biopharma, food, agriculture, and industrial manufacturing to implement this solution.
Previously, advancements in biomanufacturing focused on improving genetic strains or optimizing external conditions, but these efforts often fell short due to inherent issues with microbial behavior under industrial stress. Enduro Genetics’ synthetic addiction technology marks a departure by embedding productivity intrinsically within the microbial cells themselves, thus targeting the root cause of inefficiencies. This method appears to offer greater consistency in production compared to earlier strategies that relied solely on external control mechanisms.
The company’s initiative aligns with the growing demand for sustainable alternatives to fossil-based products. With industries increasingly adopting biomanufacturing to produce bio-based fuels, bioplastics, alternative proteins, and specialty chemicals, there is a pressing need for more reliable and cost-efficient microbial production systems. Enduro Genetics’ technology could play a pivotal role in meeting this demand by ensuring that bioprocesses are both scalable and sustainable, addressing key concerns in the transition toward greener manufacturing practices.
As the biomanufacturing sector expands, solutions like synthetic addiction highlight the importance of innovation in overcoming limitations that have historically hindered productivity. By eliminating inefficiencies at the cellular level, Enduro Genetics not only provides a pathway for more effective production but also contributes to broader efforts for decarbonization and environmental sustainability in industrial processes. This development could set a new standard for biomanufacturing practices globally, emphasizing the vital role of synthetic biology in modern industry.
