Synthetic biology

Published 2014-04

Products and services using Synthetic biology are generally available around 2024

Verdict

hitTwo blind graders agree (D7, rule D37). The auditor agent confirmed it (D11).

Grader A: hit
Grader B: hit
agrees with A, without seeing its verdict
Audit: confirmed
in the fixed audit sample (D11)
Published: hit

Grader A: hit

Semi-synthetic artemisinin from engineered yeast went into commercial production at Sanofi in 2013 and WHO-prequalified antimalarials shipped in 2014; engineered-microbe ingredients (e.g. heme in plant-based burgers) and foundry services followed.

Test: D37 Horizons: synthetic-biology-made products buyable by ordinary customers or businesses by 2026 (earlier counts).

Artemisinin (Wikipedia) (2013): Sanofi launched production of semisynthetic artemisinin from engineered yeast in 2013, WHO prequalified; 1.7 million doses shipped 2014.

Grader B: hit

Engineered-organism products were on sale well before 2024: Impossible Burger's yeast-made heme (2016), Amyris squalane, and Ginkgo Bioworks' organism-engineering services.

Test: Synthetic-biology products or services could be bought by 2026 (earlier counts).

Impossible Foods (2016-07): Consumer product using heme from engineered yeast.
Ginkgo Bioworks (2021): Commercial organism-design services sold to businesses.

In our research

HelixSynthetic Biology & Cell Programmingnarrower

All captured fields

id: hz-2014-043
category: Agricultural technologies
kind: technology
target year: 2024
placed year: 2024
milestones: {"scientifically_viable":2014,"mainstream":2024,"financially_viable":2024}
confidence: high
note: Numbered dot (mainstream point) at 2023.7, between the 2023 and 2024 lines, nearer 2024 (read as 2024). Bar from 2013.8 to 2024.4: scientifically viable ~2014, financially viable ~2024. The bar reaches the inner edge of the grid (~2014), so scientific viability may be at or before the chart start. Sub-area: Engineering.