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Novonesis Poised to Accelerate National Security Commission Priorities on Biotechnology

Novonesis, a world-leading biosolutions company, recognizes the importance of the National Security Commission on Emerging Biotechnology (NSCEB) report as a pivotal milestone in charting a bold path forward for American biotechnology. Novonesis applauds the NSCEB’s deep investigation of unlocking U.S.-led biotechnology in the Fourth Industrial Revolution.

As a global force in industrial biotech with more than 2,000 U.S. employees, a significant footprint across the country, and customers representing more than thirty diverse industries, Novonesis is uniquely positioned to help guide and effectively advocate for scaling biomanufacturing and innovation as highlighted in the Commission’s findings.

“Biotechnology is not simply influencing the future; it is defining it. This mission-critical report catalyzes a unified movement across the entire spectrum of the U.S. biotech sector—from emerging startups to multinational corporations, and from pioneering researchers to regulatory bodies—toward an imperative goal: propelling the U.S. to the forefront of biotechnology innovation,” stated Tue Micheelsen, President of Novonesis North America. “We urge policymakers to prioritize the implementation of the Commission’s recommendations—focusing on streamlined regulations, enhanced bioliteracy education, and preparing our workforce for the demands of this dynamic industry.”

The report recognizes what many in the industry have long known: Biotechnology is not only about health and sustainability—it is a strategic asset for U.S. economic strength, national security, and global competitiveness. The U.S. has a powerful advantage in its innovative private sector, and now is the time to mobilize that strength to bring biotech products to scale, faster and more efficiently.

Novonesis supports a strategic approach that aligns with the Commission’s recommendations, specifically:

Congress must support the creation of streamlined pathways to market and exempt well-understood products from unnecessary regulation. Currently, the U.S. biotechnology regulatory system is fragmented, requiring innovators to navigate overlapping agency mandates not updated for modern biotechnological advancements. This delays the commercialization of safe, science-validated products and diminishes U.S. leadership in the burgeoning biotech industry. By responsibly addressing systemic inefficiencies within the government, the U.S. can enable companies like Novonesis—and its diverse customer base across various sectors including energy, food, and agriculture—to bring transformative innovations to market that enhance the wellbeing of people and the planet.

Building and sustaining a bioliterate, highly-trained workforce—especially in manufacturing, engineering, and federal agencies—is critical to unlocking long-term, sustainable growth. People power the future of biotechnology. A collaborative approach to increasing bioliteracy and developing the American workforce is necessary to meet the demand that being the nation that leads the world in biotechnology requires.

With a strong U.S. presence and robust partnerships, Novonesis excels at the intersection of collaborative science and large-scale impact. As a global leader with over a hundred years of bringing innovation to market, including over four decades of biomanufacturing excellence in the U.S., Novonesis exemplifies what scaled biotechnology success looks like. For example, our Novonesis North America headquarters, based in rural Franklinton, North Carolina and built in a former soybean field, is the continent’s largest multipurpose enzyme manufacturing plant. It is home to all business functions — operations, sales, marketing, human resources, finance, and research and development. Our Blair, Nebraska plant is part of a 650-acre bioscience complex that works symbiotically with other large bioindustrial manufacturers. Built for this moment, Novonesis is uniquely equipped to mentor the implementation of the Commission’s recommendations, driving the U.S. biotech industry forward.

“Novonesis is committed to collaborating with government, academia, and industry leaders to transform the Commission’s recommendations into action. We thank the commission for this report and are ready to help power an era of American biotechnological leadership that is not only secure and efficient but also sustainable,” confirmed Micheelsen.

Read more here.

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