>FASTA_30
BCI glasses; K18 x Future Society; Update on Google’s Calico; BIOINT; Ansa Biotechnologies; Human Immunome Project; Science Corporation; Polybion's biomade lamp; Tearless onions; Designer babies
>FASTA: weekly short reads of the global biotech ecosystem | Papers and patents, acquisitions and bankruptcies, biotech philosophy | Read in under 5 min | Follow on LinkedIn, X, YouTube, and Instagram | Versión en Español
Pilgrim is proud to sponsor >FASTA! They’re building the next generation of military medicine for rapid wound healing and pathogen detection—advancing solutions from frontline emergencies to everyday healthcare.
1. BCI glasses are the next iPhone
Cognixion is launching a clinical trial to allow 10 paralyzed patients with speech disorders to communicate through their BCI integrated with the Apple Vision Pro. The BCI uses six EEG sensors to collect brain signals, and the headset allows for AI-generated suggestions, eye tracking or head movement commands.
Like Synchron, Cognixion will be using Apple’s new BCI protocol. Since Apple is developing AirPods with BCIs and AR glasses similar to Meta’s, I wouldn’t be surprised if low-resolution BCI glasses are also in their pipeline for the next 5-10 years.
On a philosophical note, I think it’s important to keep in mind how much autonomy each kind of technology can actually give us in the long term. BCIs will reduce communication burdens, but where are the gene cures?
2. K18 x Future Society
K18’s peptides have bonded with Future Society’s extinct rainforest tree fragrance in a limited edition hair mask! The patented K18PEPTIDE™ can repair multiple types of bonds in hair, while the Floating Forest scent was inspired by an extinct rainforest tree once found only in Borneo.
Future Society started as a Ginkgo Bioworks project led by Christina Agapakis. The scientists collaborated with the Harvard Herbarium to sequence the DNA of six extinct flower species, and expressed their sesquiterpene synthase genes in yeast to recreate their ancestral scent.
Though making fragrances through genetic engineering is not economically viable yet, the company now led by Jasmina Aganovic worked with professional perfumers to replicate the individual scent molecules and their products can now be found in 46 retail locations across the US.
For its part, K18 started with Portuguese research in 2016, turned into a company in 2020 and was acquired by Unilever in 2023. The brand is now available in over 90 countries, and their biotech is now used in hair products, which may help their new partners expand brand awareness among both consumers and beauty brands.
3. Update on Google’s Calico
Calico Life Sciences got the FDA’s fast track designation for their antibody treatment of Autosomal Dominant Polycystic Kidney Disease (ADPKD), the most common inherited kidney disease worldwide. The therapy was developed in collaboration with AbbVie Inc and is currently in Phase 2 clinical trials.
I hadn’t heard anything about the California Life Company in the last five years. Honestly, I thought they were dead (not pun intended)… the Alphabet company launched in 2013 with the goal of curing aging, but their first disclosed ALS drug data failed in clinical trials. They’re in trials for three other drugs.
4. BIOINT
Stanford Bioengineering Professor Drew Endy call for a US BioIntelligence (BIOINT) during the Made in China 2025 hearing held by the US-China Economic and Security Review Commission this past February.
On the other side of the world, in The Third Belt and Road Forum (2023), the Chinese government signed several bilateral cooperation documents on science, technology, and innovation with Southeast Asian countries. It is said that 50 labs have been built as part of this “Belt of Science”.
Just like GEOINT satellites were developed during the Cold War, and after pointing out that the biggest sequencing factories are already in Shenzhen, Endy suggested the creation of a nucleic acid observatory as a first step towards biosecurity and BIOINT.
5. Ansa Biotechnologies
Speaking of DNA tech, Ansa Biotechnologies secured a $45.2M Series B. Unlike traditional chemical synthesis, their proprietary enzymatic platform enables synthesis of up to 50 kb. À la Domino’s Pizza, they also recently introduced On-Time Guarantee, a commitment that orders will be shipped in full and on time, or the entire order is free.
6. Human Immunome project
The Human Immunome Project (HIP) is a global NGO with the mission of creating a map of the human immunome that accelerates medical research and drug discovery. They’re operating on USD $5M per year with backers like the Gates Foundation.
Together with AI tools, their Immune Monitoring Kit (IM-Kit) is a collection of assays that will capture thousands of parameters (like cells, transcripts, antibodies, proteins, epigenetic modifications, and metabolites) from a diverse group of ~225,000 males and females over five years.
7. Science engineers opsins
Science Corporation develops medical devices to restore vision, cognition, and mobility in patients who have lost it. Their products range from axon probes to neurostimulation devices and engineered opsins to restore sight, and a BCI made from living neurons.
Opsins, the proteins responsible for vision, are used for neuro and optogenetic research. Typically, their response time and sensitivity are inversely related, and they need respond LEDs and lasers to work.
Last month, Science discovered a key mutation that increased sensitivity, and then engineered hundreds of variants through site-directed mutagenesis to create opsins that work with ambient light. These could simplify neuroscience experiments that help in vision restoration therapies.
8. Biomade lamps by Polybion and Natural Urbano
At this year’s Biofab Fair, Polybion unveiled Lapso, a translucent lamp from their premium cellulose, Celium™, which grows from bacteria fed with fruit waste. The 10-year-old company has collaborated with designer fashion brand GANNI for Paris Fashion Week twice, and raised over USD $4M in venture capital.
9. Tearless onions: Sunions
Instead of making you cry, Sunions are bred to become milder and sweeter over time! They were first commercialized in the US by BASF’s Nunhems division in 2018, and have become available in Canada, Spain, and other European countries.
See, onion cells contain alliinase enzymes that convert sulfur-containing amino acids into sulfenic acids when cut. These are then transformed by lachrymatory factor synthase (LFS) into a volatile compound that makes you cry — don’t blame them though, it’s their defense mechanism against pests!
In 2008, New Zealand researchers used RNAi to prove that silencing LFS yielded tearless onions without killing the plant. Because of regulatory reasons, however, this innovation stayed at the lab bench.
10. Thinking about designer babies
You and I remember Dr. Jiankui He’s announcement of the world’s first gene-edited babies in 2018, as well as his following 2-year prison sentence. What has the average person heard about the issue since then?
Crickets.
Seven years later, Nucleus Genomics and Orchid Bioscience offer whole genome embryo sequencing to select your embryo based on their genetics. Manhattan Genomics and Dr. He himself claim to be building embryo-editing services, and tech investors like Brian Armstrong (CEO of Coinbase) have publicly expressed interest in funding human embryo editing companies.
As a biotechnologist, I need to study this subject a LOT more deeply. On a personal level, I need to think a LOT more about it too. This discussion, however, sparked a few preliminary thoughts…
Hey, Sofia here! 30 emails is not a lot yet, but I’d like to thank you again for being a Biopunk. I’ve recently thought how I’d literally have no idea of what to do with my life if the biotech industry didn’t exist, like in an alternate universe or something.
Since each of you build this industry every single day, I hope that this newsletter is a tiny celebration of your work, as well as a constant reminder to keep moving forward.
I’m very open to constructive feedback and absolutely love it when you send me a comment. Next up, I’ll be making more time to write long-form articles. Please share with other friends who should know what’s up with biotech!