Jun 23, 2020

AgBiome develops a second biological fungicide, Theia

AgBiome, which develops innovative agricultural products from naturally-occurring microbial communities, has announced the submission of Theia fungicide, its next product, to the EPA for review.

Pending EPA registration, Theia will be the second biological fungicide that AgBiome has brought to market in the last three years, according to a press release from the company. The first product, Howler, is registered with the Organic Materials Review Institute.

“AgBiome leads in the development of innovative biopesticides to overcome growing pest resistance,” said Scott Uknes, co-CEO of AgBiome. “Our product pipeline is strong, which symbolizes the sustained growth we are prioritizing at AgBiome. From new hires to new product development, AgBiome is working tirelessly to expand our reach — executing on the company’s mission to feed the world responsibly.”

Theia, like Howler, was developed using the GENESIS discovery platform, allowing AgBiome to efficiently capture and screen the company’s diverse, unique microbial collection for agriculturally relevant applications, according to a press release from the company. Since microbial biofungicides contain living organisms, their modes of action differ from those of synthetic fungicides, making Theia a unique player in the fight against foliar plant diseases.

“The development team has been highly focused on rapidly advancing fungicides with new modes of action. AgBiome is thrilled to have begun the Theia EPA registration process,” said Scott Rabe, AgBiome development team lead.