Engineered Silkworms Spin Spider Silk as Biotech Firm Targets Commercial Scale
DENVER, March 18, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — www.247marketnews.com — A biotechnology company developing genetically engineered silkworms says it’s moving toward commercial production of spider silk, a material long sought by researchers for its unusual combination of strength and elasticity.
Kraig Biocraft Laboratories (OTCQB: KBLB) deployed one million genetically engineered silkworm eggs across multiple production facilities in Vietnam as part of a Spring scale-up effort that could eventually produce around 10 metric tons of recombinant spider-silk cocoons per month.
Spider silk has attracted scientific interest for decades because of its mechanical properties. By weight, the fiber can be stronger than steel and tougher than many high-performance synthetic materials. The challenge has been viable mass production, since spiders cannot be farmed easily due to their territorial behavior.
The company’s approach modifies domesticated silkworms so they spin fibers incorporating the desired spider-silk proteins. The insects retain their natural spinning process, allowing the fiber to be produced using traditional sericulture methods rather than industrial reactors.
Kraig Labs says it is preparing initial shipments of the biodegradable recombinant Spider Silk material to several unannounced global brands as part of pilot development programs and first commercial deliveries.
From lab research to industrial production
Kraig Labs first reported integrating spider-silk genes into silkworms more than a decade ago. The work was later described in a peer-reviewed study in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, which reported that composite fibers produced by transgenic silkworms were tougher than conventional silkworm silk and approached the toughness of natural dragline spider silk.
The research drew widespread attention at the time, including coverage in science publications and mainstream media following a press conference at the University of Notre Dame announcing the breakthrough.
The technology is still attracting interest from the leading authorities, as the March issue of National Geographic examines efforts to commercialize spider silk and highlights genetically engineered silkworms as a potential pathway to scalable production.
Rare precedent for engineered animal products
Commercial products derived from genetically engineered animals remain uncommon.
One example is ATryn, a therapeutic antithrombin protein produced in the milk of genetically modified goats. The drug was approved in Europe in 2006 and by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in 2009 after more than two decades of development. Sanofi later acquired the developer, Genzyme, for $20.1 billion in 2011.
Kraig’s platform differs from pharmaceutical production because the silkworm directly produces a structural fiber rather than a purified biological compound.
If the company succeeds in maintaining industrial-scale production, it would represent one of the few examples of a transgenic animal system used for commercial manufacturing outside pharmaceuticals.
Hybrid fibers today, purer silk tomorrow
Current production fibers are hybrid composites combining traditional silkworm silk proteins with spider-silk proteins. Kraig Labs stated that laboratory testing of the material has shown tensile strengths for some samples approaching 1.8 gigapascals and elasticity above 38%.
The company is also exploring a more ambitious genetic design using sequences from the Darwin’s bark spider, known for producing some of the toughest natural silk fibers measured. That research aims to replace the silkworm’s native silk genes with spider-silk genes, potentially allowing the insects to produce fibers composed largely of spider silk proteins. Results from that work have not yet been announced.
Ancient industry meets modern genetics
Sericulture is the cultivation of silkworms for silk production, which dates back more than a thousand years and remains a major industry in Asia.
By combining that historical production system with modern gene-editing techniques, Kraig is attempting to turn spider silk from a laboratory material into a commercially manufactured fiber.
For more information about Kraig Labs’ spider silk technology and partnership opportunities, visit www.kraiglabs.com
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About Kraig Biocraft Laboratories, Inc. (OTCQB: KBLB)
Kraig Biocraft Laboratories, Inc. (OTCQB: KBLB) (“Kraig Labs”) is a biotechnology company focused on the development and commercialization of advanced biomaterials through genetic engineering. The company is best known for its work in producing recombinant spider silk using genetically engineered silkworms, an approach designed to overcome the long-standing challenges of harvesting spider silk at scale.
With growing interest in sustainable and high-performance materials, Kraig Labs is positioning itself at the intersection of biotechnology and advanced materials science, seeking to deliver novel fiber solutions to global markets.
Kraig Labs was the recent cover feature of the March 2026 edition of National Geographic, https://www.nationalgeographic.com/science/article/spider-silk-silkworm-genetic-engineering. Please go to www.kraiglabs.com for further information.
PAID EDITORIAL DISCLOSURE: This is a paid editorial communication intended for informational purposes only. 24/7 is a third-party media provider that owns KBLB shares, which are on deposit and may be sold at the editor’s discretion, and has been compensated for providing ongoing KBLB market outreach and other services.. This press release may include technical analysis and should not be construed as financial or investment advice. Trading stocks involves risks, and readers should consult with their financial advisor before making investment decisions.
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