Molecular Agronomy: An Innovative Strategy for Sustainable Crop Protection

EPICS Biotechnology is a biotechnology company developing plant-derived biocontrols to support a more sustainable and cost-effective crop input market. Our platform unlocks complex plant bioactives to complement integrated pest management (IPM) strategies.

Rather than replacing existing tools, we aim to reduce reliance on chemical inputs and energy-intensive fermentation, while addressing resistance challenges tied to simplified practices like herbicide-tolerant GM crops. EPICS empowers partners to build more resilient, diversified crop protection programs with proven bioactives in development or already in use but facing regulatory and economic pressure.

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We are Molecular Agonomists

Who We Are

At EPICS Biotechnology, we are pioneering at the intersection of biotech and agriculture.

We use protein engineering and gene editing to unlock bioactive compounds in plants—aiming to deliver desirable traits to producers with speed, low cost, and scalability in mind.

By using plants as natural biofactories to produce high-value bioactives, we’re exploring next-generation crop inputs designed to be sustainable, scalable, and symbiotic with nature. With each seed, we aim to grow more than food—we aim to grow solutions.

Meet the Team

The Problem

Modern agriculture is constrained by a fundamental design flaw: delivery inefficiency.

Up to 80% of sprayed active ingredients are lost before they ever reach their target—due to rain wash-off, UV degradation, and wind drift.

This is not only an environmental challenge, but a significant economic burden, contributing to an estimated $25–40 billion in annual losses.

The issue is not the availability of effective molecules—it is how they are delivered, retained, and activated in real-world conditions.

50%

lost during chemical application

50–80%

of active ingredients never reach their target*

$25–40B

annual loss due to crop protection inefficiency

*Key contributing factors:

Rain: Wash-off immediately post-application
Sun: UV exposure reduces activity
Wind: Drift, volatilization, and off-target movement

*Sources : Fernández et al., Crop Protection (2014), Holloway et al., Pest Management Science (2008), EPA Spray Drift Report (US EPA), (Phillips McDougall, Agbio Investor, FAO)

Our Solution

Using a Molecular Agronomy approach, EPICS has developed a seed-based expression system designed to produce high-value biopesticides and biostimulants—naturally, at scale, with the potential to lower input costs for growers.

Our plants are designed to express complex biofunctional proteins directly in their seeds, reducing reliance on synthetic chemicals or microbial fermentation.

Once harvested, these seeds are designed to degrade naturally over time, without leaving chemical residues or altering the genetics of treated plants —with the goal of supporting crop protection, yield potential, and long-term soil health.

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If delivery is the challenge, it can
also be the solution

Filmax™ Multipurpose Bioadjuvant

Filmax™ accelerates formulation development by enabling rapid mixing, compatibility assessments, and co‑formulation of proven or already registered biologicals and chemicals. This shortens development timelines and supports faster market entry while improving efficacy, stability, and environmental footprint. Our first Filmax product is currently advancing into Phase V, as a natural organic adjuvant, within the EPICS portfolio.

Performance simulations demonstrate improved adhesion, retention, and rain‑fastness on leaf surfaces following post‑emergence foliar application. Additional testing shows that Filmax‑enabled adjuvant systems can reduce the effective dose of certain actives by up to 60 percent at low use rates, highlighting both cost efficiency with field‑level impact.

Agronomic Quality Trait System

EPICS has extensive experience applying gene‑editing strategies to enhance inherent agronomic and quality traits or recombinant bioactives (e.g. AMPs) within the Bioactiva™ platform. These targeted modifications to increase and concentrate the high-value bioactivity are then deployed to donor plants plant’s, under field conditions, to enhance field production at low cost.. This technology can be further coupled with the performance of Penetrall™‑enabled products and further expands the range of biological assets that can be commercialized efficiently.

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Penetrall™ Adjuvant system with seed derived bioactives

Penetrall™ extends the value of validated biologicals by enabling direct incorporation of the bioactive into a blended adjuvant system. This reduces production costs and supports registration of new product classes such as biostimulants, biocontrols, or bioattractants. When combined with EPICS systemic‑penetration technology, Penetrall™ further enhances in‑field performance.

Penetrall™ also enables direct application of genetically modified plant traits or bioactives to the plant in-field or under glass using an EPICS "phenotype-donor" system. Through EPICS enhanced seed‑based recovery and application process, bioactives can be accumulated and concentrated at scale to apply the "bioactivity" directly to fields. This disrupts traditional cost and volume constraints associated with producing high‑value bioactives in situ and can be paired with Filmax™ for systemic‑like protection or biostimulation.