Fourth Eon develops and deploys biosecurity screening tools that protect biotechnology from accidental or malicious misuse. Their platform focuses on function‑based DNA synthesis screening, detecting hazardous biological functions beyond traditional homology methods to safeguard the era of engineered biology.
Funding
Funding not disclosed
Founders
Product
Problem
Current DNA synthesis screening relies mainly on homology to known genes, which fails to detect hazardous functions in novel or engineered sequences. As synthetic biology and AI-driven design expand beyond natural biological space, the risk of accidental or malicious misuse of synthetic DNA increases.
Solution
Fourth Eon provides a biosecurity platform that analyzes DNA orders for hazardous biological functions using a function‑based sequence screening approach. By modeling the relationship between sequence and molecular function, the system can identify risky designs that lack similarity to known genes. The platform integrates with synthesis providers and laboratory workflows to screen orders before synthesis, delivering risk assessments and alerts. Leveraging AI and advanced bioinformatics, Fourth Eon continuously updates its knowledge base to keep pace with emerging synthetic biology capabilities.
Target Audience
Primary customers are DNA synthesis companies, biotechnology research labs, and manufacturers that need to screen synthetic DNA orders for biosecurity risks.
Features
- Function‑based sequence analysis that predicts biological activity rather than relying on simple homology matches
- AI‑enhanced models that capture novel or engineered functions beyond the natural sequence space
- Real‑time screening integration for DNA synthesis providers and in‑house biotech labs
- Automated risk scoring and reporting to flag hazardous designs before synthesis
- Scalable cloud infrastructure supporting high‑throughput order processing
- Continuous learning pipeline that incorporates new data on emerging biological threats