DuPont and Athenix Collaborate to Advance Insect Control in Corn...(ill directly address the global demand f...)

“Development of new traits for insect control is important not only to provide growers with enhanced options but also to solve the challenges of resistance management. We are pleased to be working with an industry leader like Pioneer to bring Athenix’ novel insect control options to the market,” said Mike Koziel, chief executive officer at Athenix.

Under the agreement, Pioneer will have exclusive ownership of novel insect control genes enhanced through its gene shuffling technology and the corn and soybean germplasm it develops using Athenix and Pioneer-enhanced genes.

Pioneer currently offers Herculex® insect protection traits, which provide the broadest spectrum of in-plant insect control available. Pending regulatory approval, Pioneer intends to leverage the unique properties found in the Herculex® family of traits to introduce the industry’s first reduced, in-the-bag corn rootworm refuge solution – Optimum™ AcreMax® 1 Insect Protection – in 2009.

Athenix is a leading biotechnology company that develops novel products and technologies for agricultural and industrial applications, including biofuels and bioconversions. Athenix has established an outstanding intellectual property portfolio and market access ability around enhanced plants, microbes, genes, enzymes, and processes with emphasis on two major markets: 1) novel agricultural traits for growers such as insect resistance, nematode resistance, herbicide tolerance, and their use for the crop production industry; and 2) the discovery of genes and proteins for use in the sustainable chemical industry with a focus on biofuels like ethanol and other natural products.

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