Agragene develops CRISPR-based genome-engineered sterile male insects as eco-friendly crop pest protection, initially targeting Spotted Wing Drosophila. Its applications are described as safe for bees, birds and workers. The company relocated from San Diego to St. Louis, joining the Helix Center, to reduce costs and extend financial runway. Management says the move lowered burn rate and enabled the firm to regrow to a staff of eight and hit testing milestones for achieving sterility. Agragene holds an exclusive worldwide license on the underlying intellectual property and is pursuing a commercial product launch in the United States alongside an aggressive global licensing strategy. The company has raised $7.2 million to date. Agragene develops Precision-Guided Sterile Insect Technology (pgSIT) and semiochemical attract-and-kill products as chemical-free pest-control solutions. Its lead product, Knock-Out™, uses a CRISPR-based approach to engineer sterile males that mate with female crop pests, producing unfertilized eggs and reducing pest populations. Knock-Out™ is applied via drone and is described as more affordable than traditional chemical formulations and safe for bees, birds and workers. Border Patrol™ is a semiochemical attractant on a fiber mat that lures females to lay eggs where larvae desiccate and die. These two products form the core of an integrated pest management system, and the company says it has additional pipeline products for real-time insect detection and mating disruption. The company is led by CEO Gordon Alton and is based in San Diego, California. Agragene develops Precision-Guided Sterile Insect Technology (pgSIT), a CRISPR-based approach to engineer sterile male crop pests that mate with wild females as an eco-friendly alternative to chemical pesticides. Using advanced genome engineering, the company says its products are applicable to thousands of insect pests worldwide. Agragene aims to expand field trials and advance commercialization of its biological crop pest protection. The company plans a commercial product launch in the United States and a worldwide licensing strategy. Led by CEO Gordon Alton, Agragene was founded in 2017 in San Diego, California. It recently completed a seed financing to support its next development and commercialization steps.

Total raised

$7M

Funding rounds

3

Latest round

Series A

Latest activity

Mar 2023