By Colin Kellaher

Biogen Inc. Friday said it signed a collaboration and licensing agreement with Ginkgo Bioworks in an effort to develop a novel gene-therapy manufacturing platform.

Biogen said the companies aim to redefine the industry standard for manufacturing recombinant adeno-associated virus, or AAV, based vectors, which are widely used to develop innovative gene therapies but are currently expensive and time consuming to make.

The Cambridge, Mass., biopharmaceutical company said it will receive access to Ginkgo's proprietary cell-programming platform and capabilities, while Ginkgo will use its bioengineering facilities and resources with the aim of enhancing the AAV production titers of Biogen's gene-therapy manufacturing processes.

Biogen said it will make an upfront payment of $5 million to Ginkgo, which is eligible for up to an additional $115 million should the collaboration programs achieve certain research, developmental and commercial milestones.

Ginkgo, launched in 2008 to develop biotechnology solutions for industries as varied as cosmetics, agriculture and pharmaceuticals, earlier this month unveiled plans to go public through a combination with blank-check company Soaring Eagle Acquisition Corp. that gives the synthetic biology platform a pre-money equity valuation of $15 billion.

Write to Colin Kellaher at colin.kellaher@wsj.com

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

05-21-21 0804ET