FMC Corporation and Micropep Technologies Collaborate To Develop Bio-Herbicides

FMC Corporation, a leading global agricultural sciences company, and Micropep Technologies (Micropep), a global leader in micropeptide technology, today announced a strategic collaboration to develop biological solutions to control destructive herbicide-resistant weeds that reduce crop yields.

The collaboration will accelerate the ongoing development of natural weed control products based on short protein molecules naturally produced by plant cells. Under an exclusive multi-year agreement, the partnership will focus on developing new solutions for controlling key herbicide-resistant weeds in corn and soybeans. The companies will combine their respective R&D capabilities leveraging Micropep's technology to expedite and improve the success rate in identifying innovative biological herbicides.

"We are pleased to collaborate with Micropep in developing novel micropeptide technology to address resistance management," said Dr. Kathleen Shelton, FMC executive vice president and chief technology officer. "These novel mode-of-action biomolecules in agriculture represent an exciting new frontier; this is a completely new solution compared to what is available to growers today.

"This agreement demonstrates our continuing commitment to diversify FMC's world-class R&D pipeline to include a broader portfolio of biologicals that work in combination with synthetics."

The global herbicide market was over $26 billion in 2021, composed primarily of synthetic herbicides. There are significant market opportunities for bioherbicides that provide effective weed control while also minimizing the impact on the environment. This collaboration advances the development of Micropep's micropeptide pipeline, which has demonstrated efficacy on resistant weeds and pathogens threatening major crops throughout the world.

To address agriculture's most pressing challenges, FMC is investing in the discovery and development of new modes of action and continues to build an extensive ecosystem of partners to accelerate the speed of crop protection innovation.

"Micropep is building the next generation of natural solutions addressing global challenges in multiple markets, and agriculture is a key focal area. Climate change is already impacting the way farmers produce food, and they urgently need new sustainable solutions to protect their crops," said Thomas Laurent, Micropep founder and chief executive officer.

"This partnership with FMC will expedite the availability of more sustainable solutions. By combining our proprietary AI-powered micropeptide discovery platform and FMC's strong scientific and commercial capabilities, we seek to develop a selective natural herbicide effective in controlling major resistant weeds."