Ansa Biotechnologies is revolutionizing DNA synthesis with its proprietary enzymatic synthesis technology. The company, based in Emeryville, CA, specializes in reliably producing long, complex DNA sequences that are difficult to build using traditional synthesis methods.

Ansa helps scientists explore new possibilities in biological design by enabling them to move beyond traditional synthesis constraints. The company's breakthrough technology has accelerated many research projects, including a collaboration with New England Biolabs on Mycobacterial phage genome engineering.

As Ansa's capabilities and customer base grew, the company recognized the need for scalable biosecurity measures that met evolving regulatory requirements. They faced a critical challenge: building a biosecurity infrastructure from the ground up while maintaining agility.

As a fast-moving startup in a competitive market, it is essential that we focus on delighting our customers and advancing our technology platform, but being conscientious about biosecurity has always been core to our values. We joined the IGSC well before we launched because we knew biosecurity screening was critical for our service. With a lean team focused on our core business, resourcing a robust screening platform and process was a challenge but also an imperative— we were determined to end up on the right side of history.

Daniel Lin-Arlow
Founder and CSO, Ansa Biotechnologies

Ansa’s biosecurity challenges were multifaceted:

• Ansa needed a screening solution that wouldn't add friction that would unduly slow down their ordering process
• The R&D team couldn’t dedicate enough resources to developing and maintaining biosecurity infrastructure while also advancing their core technology
• Any implementation had to integrate seamlessly with existing workflows to maintain Ansa’s competitive advantage in speed and efficiency
• Ansa needed a solution that would meet current requirements and adapt to evolving policy and regulations

Ansa selected Aclid's automated screening platform for their biosecurity infrastructure, prioritizing a solution that would integrate seamlessly with their existing workflows and meet stringent screening requirements.

The technical implementation proceeded rapidly:

• Initial API integration was completed in two weeks
• End-to-end workflow testing began within one month
• Platform refinements, including cached screening results and more intuitive interfaces for non-technical users, were implemented within weeks
• Full deployment achieved with 99.99% uptime maintained over 18 months

Aclid's implementation minimized disruption to our core operations which was crucial for us as a growing company. Within weeks, we had a fully automated screening system that integrated with our workflow, allowing our team to launch our synthesis service faster while maintaining compliance.

Scott Fay
VP of Informatics, Ansa Biotechnologies

The streamlined solution eliminated the need for additional software or resources from Ansa's team, achieving full compliance while maintaining focus on core R&D and operations.

Aclid's biosecurity screening platform helped Ansa get compliant faster and automate more than 90% of the process:

• Rapid, Reliable Screening. Since implementation, Aclid has screened tens of thousands of constructs for Ansa, including production orders, test sequences, and internal research. The platform delivers exceptional speed without compromising security: The average turnaround time for screening sequences up to 100,000 base pairs is 2.49 seconds.
• Streamlined Operations. Integrating Aclid’s automated screening platform with Ansa's CRM saved time for Ansa’s customer teams. Aclid’s implementation also saved Ansa many months of development  compared to building an in-house system.
• Strategic Business Value. Ansa's early adoption of comprehensive biosecurity screening strengthens its market position. Compliance with the U.S. OSTP Screening Framework enabled it to serve federally funded research labs and universities. Additionally, its enhanced biosecurity measures made it an attractive partner for pharmaceutical companies with stringent supply chain safety requirements.‍
• Expert Compliance Support. Aclid is a trusted compliance partner beyond its technology platform, helping Ansa navigate complex and evolving regulatory requirements. This expertise ensured that Ansa can make informed decisions without unnecessary delays or compliance overhead.

Aclid saved us at least six months versus building an in-house system. They have rapidly responded to every feature request, and have shown great flexibility in accommodating our internal system design. Most importantly, I rest easy knowing that Aclid is staying abreast of the rapidly changing biosecurity regulatory landscape.

Scott Fay
VP of Informatics, Ansa Biotechnologies