11:39 AM EDT, 04/10/2024 (MT Newswires) -- Ginkgo Bioworks ( DNA ) said Wednesday it's expanding a research and development partnership with Novo Nordisk ( NVO ) under a framework agreement initially expected to run five years.

Ginkgo said the companies will work to improve the manufacturing of Novo Nordisk's ( NVO ) drugs for chronic diseases, and they will collaborate on early pipeline projects and engineering of scalable manufacturing services.

Separately, Ginkgo said Wednesday it was awarded a grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to build a measles-forecasting model.

The project, in partnership with Northeastern University researchers, will back public-health measures such as immunization campaigns, Ginkgo said.

Financial details for each project weren't provided.

Ginkgo shares fell 3.9% in recent trading Wednesday.

Price: 1.12, Change: -0.05, Percent Change: -3.88