ANN ARBOR, Mich. — March 7, 2022 — Kraig Biocraft Laboratories Inc., the biotechnology company focused on the development and commercialization of spider silk, announced significant advancements in its Vietnam based production facility, Prodigy Textiles.
The collaboration between the company’s U.S. and Vietnam lab teams has resulted in their first complete genetic screening of in-process production silkworms. This fifth generation of silkworms, now being reared in Vietnam, is the first production cycle of silkworms at the factory to receive 100-percent genetic screening. This level of testing, for Kraig Labs, was previously only available at the company’s R&D headquarters is now being fully transferred to the Vietnamese lab team.
Earlier this month, the company flew in an expert trainer to provide hands-on training with new staff members of its expanded R&D team at Prodigy Textiles. In the coming weeks, Kraig Labs’ senior scientist will be at Prodigy Textiles to build on that training and bring additional competencies to the lab in Vietnam. Working together, the Prodigy and Kraig Labs’ teams will screen the sixth generation eggs, the largest expected single production cycle in the company’s history, and prepare the lab for its expanding role in supporting silk production.
“Transferring this screening technology to Prodigy was the final element needed for our operations team in Vietnam to complete scaling up output to match our facility capacity,” said COO Jon Rice. “With our lab team at Prodigy taking over this crucial testing, I believe our team in Vietnam is now ready to boost monthly silk production targets by 20-50 times current levels.”
In the coming months, the company also expects to begin harvesting is own supply of fresh mulberry that it began planting in December of last year. This onsite supply will play a critical role is allowing the company to continue to expand the production of spider silk analog fibers and yarns and to deliver materials to its current and anticipated future end market channel partners.
Posted: March 7, 2022
Source: Kraig Biocraft Laboratories Inc.
