Ginkgo Bioworks and Cellora announce collaboration to advance next-gen bioinsecticide
Boston, MA and Pokeno, New Zealand, 12 March, 2026
Ginkgo Bioworks (NYSE: DNA), an expert in bioprocess development and scale-up of agricultural biologicals, and Cellora, an emerging agricultural biotechnology company focused on biological insect control solutions, today announced a collaboration to optimize and scale-up Cellora’s lead bioinsecticide targeting diamondback moth and other lepidoptera species, which are pests in high-value vegetable crops and important dairy forages.
Cellora has built a portfolio of promising microbial strains for agricultural pest control and is translating them into commercial products that can be partnered with major market players. Through this collaboration, Cellora will leverage Ginkgo’s bioprocess development platform and industrial infrastructure to help turn its lead strain into a product candidate that is scalable, reliable, and aligned with commercial manufacturing requirements.
The collaboration is structured to help Cellora move from lab-scale proof-of-concept toward a commercialization-ready product. Ginkgo will apply its high-throughput process development capabilities and fermentation expertise to develop and refine a bioprocess designed to support downstream activities such as multi-site field trials, registration, licensing, and eventual product launch.
“Growers and the agricultural industry are looking for the next generation of biological insect control tools that can fit seamlessly into existing production systems,” said Jill Bradshaw, General Manager of Microbial Solutions for Ginkgo Bioworks. “By pairing Cellora’s innovative strain portfolio with Ginkgo’s platform and team, we aim to help Cellora accelerate its path toward a market-ready bioinsecticide offering.”
The collaboration aligns with Ginkgo’s broader strategy in agricultural biologicals, where the company partners with customers across discovery, optimization, and scale-up to help reduce technical risk and timelines on the way to commercialization.
“Working with Ginkgo will accelerate our program by freeing up our internal R&D capacity and providing access to Ginkgo’s world-class infrastructure, data, and expertise to advance our lead bioinsecticide toward long-term commercial partnerships.” said Damian Camp, Chief Executive of Cellora.
About Ginkgo BioworksGinkgo Bioworks builds the tools that make biology easier to engineer for everyone. The company offers autonomous laboratories that replace manual laboratory work with robotics in the lab, greatly improving the productivity of scientists. Ginkgo’s in-house autonomous lab is also available as a “cloud lab” through our Datapoints and Solutions contract research services. For more information, visit ginkgobioworks.com and ginkgobiosecurity.com, read our blog, or follow us on social media channels such as X (@Ginkgo and @Ginkgo_Biosec), Instagram (@GinkgoBioworks), Threads (@GinkgoBioworks), or LinkedIn.
About Cellora
Cellora is a New Zealand-based research, development and commercialisation company delivering high-performing novel biological solutions for crop protection. The company discovers, develops eco-friendly alternatives to synthetic chemicals and pesticides, to create a more sustainable relationship between agriculture and the environment.
For more information, visit www.cellora.bio
Media Contact:Damian Camp damian@cellora.bio
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