Recently, at a science and technology achievement promotion and technology demand-matching event in Shizuishan City, NINGKE Biotechnology Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as “NINGKE”) and Qingdao HeTan Chuangwu Technology Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as “HeTan Chuangwu”) officially signed a cooperation agreement. The two parties will jointly establish a joint venture with Hainan Haizhiyuan Life Science Technology Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as “Haizhiyuan”) to advance the first-phase project—a new facility with an annual output of 4,000 tons of DHA (docosahexaenoic acid)—laying the groundwork for future, larger-scale DHA and EPA projects. This collaboration marks a pivotal step for NINGKE in the field of applying long-chain organic acids to the high-end nutritional and health ingredients industry.

Leveraging cutting-edge synthetic biology technologies and capitalizing on Shizuishan City’s abundant energy and industrial resource advantages, NINGKE will collaborate with distinguished partners to develop a high-value-added bio-manufacturing industrial chain, thereby boosting the quality and upgrading of Ningxia’s bio-manufacturing sector.

Joint venture and co‑construction, technology‑driven

This project adopts a joint-venture operating model. HECarbon Innovation will contribute its proprietary, patented engineered microbial strains, high-density heterotrophic fermentation technology, and other core synthetic biology technologies, taking full responsibility for strain optimization and the implementation of production processes. NINGKE, on the other hand, will leverage its local industrial base and synthetic biology manufacturing platform to provide end-to-end support, including a stable supply of raw materials and extensive industrialization expertise. Haizhiyuan will capitalize on its strengths in market development, particularly in expanding overseas customer networks.

The project plans to build a Schizochytrium DHA algal oil production line. Upon completion, it is expected to produce 4,000 tons of DHA algal oil annually, with EPA‑rich by‑products. The products will be widely used in high‑growth sectors such as infant and young child complementary foods, health supplements, and feed additives for livestock and poultry. Currently, the preliminary construction phase has been fully launched. This 4,000‑ton‑per‑year DHA algal oil project represents the first phase and marks an important starting point in the company’s strategic positioning within the high‑end nutritional and health ingredients industry. Building on the technological and market validation achieved during this initial phase, the company has already secured ample room for future development and established robust resource pathways, laying a solid foundation for the phased ramp-up of capacity and large‑scale expansion. Production is expected to commence before the end of this year.

Main product

The pilot platform facilitates the efficient commercialization of research outcomes.

Li Zhongfu, Deputy General Manager of NINGKE, stated: “In 2025, He Tan Chuang Wu leveraged our No. 1 pilot-scale platform to conduct DHA project trials. The overall validation results met expectations, ultimately leading to this collaboration. This achievement also demonstrates the practical capabilities of our pilot-scale platform.”
Based on this successful experience, NINGKE is accelerating the construction of its No. 2 pilot-scale platform. Covering a total area of 3,119.94 square meters, the platform is equipped with four 10-ton fermentation tanks and a full suite of experimental equipment, including filtration, membrane separation, crystallization, and drying systems. It also features a standardized food-grade laboratory, 27 high-precision testing instruments—such as gas chromatography-mass spectrometry and ion chromatography—and an LIMS laboratory information management system, enabling comprehensive microbial and physicochemical analysis. The platform is scheduled for official completion and commissioning in August this year and is now open to various pilot-scale projects and equipment for occupancy.
Notably, Platform No. 2 incorporates AI‑driven digital biotechnology, enabling efficient optimization of enzyme engineering and modification in synthetic biology, as well as microbial metabolic pathways, with an anticipated increase in R&D efficiency of 40% to 60%.

Layout plan of NINGKE’s No. 2 pilot-scale platform

Based in Shizuishan, we are building an integrated innovation system.

The completion of NINGKE’s No. 2 pilot-scale platform will further enhance Shizuishan City’s capacity to translate biotechnology research into practical applications, establishing an integrated R&D system spanning “technology development—small-scale trials—pilot-scale production—industrialization,” with applications covering biochemical raw materials, food, pharmaceuticals, and other fields.

As a key enterprise in the local bio-manufacturing sector, NINGKE will continue to promote the industrialization of technological achievements, constantly improve the industrial ecosystem, and inject new momentum into the region’s high-quality economic development.