SynBioBeta Digital Summit 2025
Virtual
11 December 2025
At the SynBioBeta Digital Summit on 11 December 2025, Constructive Bio CSO Jason Chin presented on how synthetic genomes and codon reassignment enable organisms to produce non-canonical biopolymers, including protease-resistant peptide drugs. CEO Ola Wlodek outlined commercial applications in biomanufacturing, including sustainable production of GLP-1 class therapeutics
Presenters
Prof. Jason Chin PhD
CSO and Founder
Ola Wlodek PhD
CEO
We presented
Reprogramming the Genetic Code: Science and Application
Jason Chin presented on synthetic genome engineering, including Syn61 and Syn57, codon reassignment, and the expansion of chemical diversity in living cells. Ola Wlodek then covered commercial applications, including how Constructive Bio's platform can replace solvent-intensive chemical synthesis of GLP-1 analogs with fermentation-based production.
The session covered genetic code reprogramming from foundational science to commercial application. Jason Chin presented Syn61, a synthetic genome with roughly 18,000 codon replacements, and Syn57, a newer genome with over 100,000 changes that free up seven codons for incorporation of multiple non-canonical building blocks within a single polymer chain. Ola Wlodek then outlined how these capabilities translate industrially: traditional solid-phase peptide synthesis requires roughly 13,000 kg of chlorinated solvents per kilogram of GLP-1 agonist produced; Constructive Bio's fermentation-based route uses only sugar and basic nutrients. Non-canonical amino acids also improve protease resistance, allowing peptide drugs to remain active for longer.
Industry themes
There is growing interest in biological routes to peptide production as the environmental cost of solid-phase synthesis comes under scrutiny, particularly for high-volume GLP-1 class drugs. The ability to encode multiple non-canonical amino acids within a single peptide chain is opening new therapeutic design possibilities. Early clinical data suggesting that approved non-canonical drug modifications do not inherently trigger immune responses is supporting pharma interest in this space.
Where Constructive Bio fits
Constructive Bio's synthetic genomics and engineered translation platforms directly address both the scalability challenge and the therapeutic opportunity: recoded organisms enable fermentation-based production of non-canonical peptides, while BioForge provides a route to improved drug candidates with better protease resistance and pharmacology.
Key takeaways
- 1. Removing codons across an organism's entire genome through synonymous compression is technically feasible and does not prevent the cell from functioning normally, creating a platform for incorporating new chemical building blocks.
- 2. Virus resistance is a secondary benefit of genome rewriting: without the standard codon machinery, viral replication is blocked.
- 3. Fermentation-based production of GLP-1 analogs incorporating non-canonical amino acids could substantially reduce the solvent load associated with current manufacturing methods.
To discuss what this platform could mean for your peptide or biologic programme, reach out to us at partnering@constructive.bio.
About the event
Jason Chin, CSO and founder of Constructive Bio, delivered a session at the SynBioBeta Digital Summit on the science and commercial application of reprogramming the genetic code. CEO Ola (Aleksandra) Wlodek joined to present commercial applications, including bioproduction of peptide therapeutics with non-canonical amino acids.