Cibus’ Achieves Another Milestone for a Durable White Mold (Sclerotinia) Resistance Trait in Canola
Cibus (NASDAQ: CBUS) announced promising results from controlled environment testing of its third mode of action (MOA) for Sclerotinia resistance trait in Canola. The company's proprietary Rapid Trait Development System™ (RTDS®) technology enables the Trait Machine™, a semi-automated precision breeding system.
The company has completed edits in four MOAs for Sclerotinia resistance in Canola, with ongoing field tests for two of them. Management expects to complete field and/or greenhouse tests on all four MOAs by year-end 2025. The development aims to help farmers preserve crop yields and reduce fungicide usage.
This novel approach using gene editing demonstrates potential for developing durable resistance to complex diseases more quickly compared to conventional breeding methods. The company anticipates that these traits could extend to other crops like Soybean, addressing challenges posed by climate-driven changes in crop diseases and their geographic distribution.
Cibus (NASDAQ: CBUS) ha annunciato risultati promettenti dai test in ambiente controllato del suo terzo modo d'azione (MOA) per il tratto di resistenza alla Sclerotinia nella Colza. La tecnologia proprietaria dell'azienda, il Rapid Trait Development System™ (RTDS®), consente il Trait Machine™, un sistema di allevamento di precisione semi-automatizzato.
L'azienda ha completato modifiche in quattro MOA per la resistenza alla Sclerotinia nella Colza, con test sul campo in corso per due di essi. La direzione prevede di completare i test sul campo e/o in serra su tutti e quattro i MOA entro la fine del 2025. Lo sviluppo mira ad aiutare gli agricoltori a preservare i raccolti e ridurre l'uso di fungicidi.
Questo approccio innovativo che utilizza l'editing genetico dimostra il potenziale per sviluppare una resistenza duratura a malattie complesse più rapidamente rispetto ai metodi di allevamento convenzionali. L'azienda prevede che questi tratti potrebbero estendersi ad altre colture come la Soia, affrontando le sfide poste dai cambiamenti climatici nelle malattie delle colture e nella loro distribuzione geografica.
Cibus (NASDAQ: CBUS) anunció resultados prometedores de pruebas en un entorno controlado de su tercer modo de acción (MOA) para el rasgo de resistencia a Sclerotinia en Canola. La tecnología patentada de la empresa, el Rapid Trait Development System™ (RTDS®), permite el Trait Machine™, un sistema de cría de precisión semi-automatizado.
La empresa ha completado ediciones en cuatro MOAs para la resistencia a Sclerotinia en Canola, con pruebas de campo en curso para dos de ellos. La dirección espera completar las pruebas de campo y/o invernadero en los cuatro MOAs para finales de 2025. El desarrollo tiene como objetivo ayudar a los agricultores a preservar los rendimientos de los cultivos y reducir el uso de fungicidas.
Este enfoque novedoso que utiliza la edición genética demuestra el potencial para desarrollar resistencia duradera a enfermedades complejas más rápidamente en comparación con los métodos de cría convencionales. La empresa anticipa que estos rasgos podrían extenderse a otros cultivos como la Soja, abordando los desafíos planteados por los cambios climáticos en las enfermedades de los cultivos y su distribución geográfica.
Cibus (NASDAQ: CBUS)는 유채의 Sclerotinia 저항성 특성을 위한 세 번째 작용 모드(MOA)의 제어된 환경 테스트에서 유망한 결과를 발표했습니다. 회사의 독점 기술인 Rapid Trait Development System™ (RTDS®)는 반자동 정밀 육종 시스템인 Trait Machine™을 가능하게 합니다.
회사는 유채의 Sclerotinia 저항성을 위한 네 가지 MOA에서 편집을 완료했으며, 그 중 두 가지에 대한 현장 테스트가 진행 중입니다. 경영진은 2025년 연말까지 모든 네 가지 MOA에 대한 현장 및/또는 온실 테스트를 완료할 것으로 예상하고 있습니다. 이 개발은 농부들이 농작물 수확량을 보존하고 농약 사용을 줄이는 데 도움을 주는 것을 목표로 하고 있습니다.
유전자 편집을 사용하는 이 새로운 접근 방식은 기존 육종 방법에 비해 복잡한 질병에 대한 내구성 있는 저항력을 더 빠르게 개발할 수 있는 잠재력을 보여줍니다. 회사는 이러한 특성이 대두와 같은 다른 작물로 확장될 수 있으며, 기후 변화로 인한 농작물 질병 및 그 지리적 분포의 변화가 초래하는 도전에 대응할 수 있을 것으로 예상하고 있습니다.
Cibus (NASDAQ: CBUS) a annoncé des résultats prometteurs issus de tests en environnement contrôlé de son troisième mode d'action (MOA) pour le caractère de résistance à Sclerotinia dans le colza. La technologie propriétaire de l'entreprise, le Rapid Trait Development System™ (RTDS®), permet le Trait Machine™, un système de reproduction de précision semi-automatisé.
L'entreprise a terminé des modifications dans quatre MOAs pour la résistance à Sclerotinia dans le colza, avec des tests de terrain en cours pour deux d'entre eux. La direction s'attend à achever les tests de terrain et/ou en serre sur les quatre MOAs d'ici la fin de l'année 2025. Le développement vise à aider les agriculteurs à préserver les rendements des cultures et à réduire l'utilisation de fongicides.
Cette approche novatrice utilisant l'édition génétique démontre un potentiel pour développer une résistance durable à des maladies complexes plus rapidement par rapport aux méthodes de reproduction conventionnelles. L'entreprise anticipe que ces caractères pourraient s'étendre à d'autres cultures comme le soja, répondant aux défis posés par les changements climatiques dans les maladies des cultures et leur distribution géographique.
Cibus (NASDAQ: CBUS) hat vielversprechende Ergebnisse aus kontrollierten Umgebungsprüfungen seines dritten Wirkungsmodus (MOA) für das Resistenzmerkmal gegen Sclerotinia in Raps bekannt gegeben. Die proprietäre Technologie des Unternehmens, das Rapid Trait Development System™ (RTDS®), ermöglicht die Trait Machine™, ein halbautomatisiertes Präzisionszucht-System.
Das Unternehmen hat Bearbeitungen in vier MOAs für die Sclerotinia-Resistenz in Raps abgeschlossen, mit laufenden Feldtests für zwei davon. Das Management erwartet, dass bis Ende 2025 Feld- und/oder Gewächshausprüfungen für alle vier MOAs abgeschlossen werden. Die Entwicklung zielt darauf ab, Landwirten zu helfen, die Ernteerträge zu erhalten und den Einsatz von Fungiziden zu reduzieren.
Dieser neuartige Ansatz mit Hilfe von Gen-Editing zeigt das Potenzial, eine dauerhafte Resistenz gegen komplexe Krankheiten schneller zu entwickeln als herkömmliche Zuchtmethoden. Das Unternehmen erwartet, dass diese Merkmale auch auf andere Kulturen wie Soja ausgeweitet werden könnten, um den Herausforderungen zu begegnen, die durch klimabedingte Veränderungen in den Pflanzenkrankheiten und deren geografischer Verbreitung entstehen.
- Successful demonstration of third mode of action for Sclerotinia resistance
- Completed edits in all four MOAs with two in field testing
- Technology shows potential for faster trait development vs conventional breeding
- Possible expansion of technology to other crops (Soybean)
- Field testing results still pending for two MOAs
- Commercial viability yet to be proven in real-world conditions
Insights
Cibus' announcement on its third mode of action (MOA) for white mold resistance in canola represents meaningful progress in the company's gene-editing platform development. The demonstration of enhanced resistance in controlled environment testing adds to their portfolio of potential solutions for this widespread crop disease.
What makes this development significant is Cibus' systematic approach to developing multiple MOAs for Sclerotinia resistance. They've completed edits in four different MOAs and have two in field testing, with all four expected to complete testing by year-end 2025. This multi-pronged strategy increases their chances of successfully developing a commercially viable trait.
For context, white mold is a devastating disease in canola production that can cause yield losses of 10-20
The potential business impact lies in Cibus' licensing model - they develop traits and license them to seed companies for royalties. Durable white mold resistance would be highly valuable in the
While still in development, these results strengthen Cibus' technological validation and increase the probability of creating licensable traits that generate recurring revenue streams.
The technical significance of Cibus' announcement lies in their progress toward developing durable resistance against Sclerotinia sclerotiorum (white mold) - a challenge that has frustrated conventional breeding programs for decades. Their approach of targeting multiple modes of action is scientifically sound and addresses a critical need in disease management.
White mold pathology makes it particularly difficult to control. The fungus produces long-lived sclerotia that can remain viable in soil for years, releases airborne spores, and has a broad host range across many crops. These characteristics have made developing resistant varieties through conventional breeding exceptionally challenging.
What's noteworthy about Cibus' approach is their use of the RTDS platform to identify and edit specific genetic targets across different resistance pathways. This multi-MOA strategy mimics the approach used in integrated pest management where combining multiple mechanisms creates more durable resistance that's less likely to be overcome by pathogen adaptation.
The extension to soybeans mentioned by the CEO represents significant cross-crop potential, as Sclerotinia causes approximately
The fungicide reduction potential also addresses regulatory pressure on chemical inputs while offering farmers both economic and operational advantages through reduced application requirements. While field validation remains crucial, these early results demonstrate promising progress toward a commercially significant trait.
Initial bioassay data for Cibus’ third mode of action for white mold (Sclerotinia) resistance trait in canola shows promising results in controlled environment assessment
Cibus’ white mold resistance traits are expected to help preserve crop yields and reduce fungicide usage for farmers
SAN DIEGO, March 04, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Cibus, Inc. (Nasdaq: CBUS) (the “Company”), a leading agricultural technology company that develops and licenses plant traits to seed companies for royalties, today announced that controlled environment testing of its third mode of action (MOA) for its Sclerotinia resistance trait in Canola demonstrated enhanced resistance.
The core of Cibus’ gene editing technology is its Rapid Trait Development System™ or RTDS®. It is a system of proprietary technologies that integrates crop specific cell biology platforms with a series of gene editing technologies. RTDS enables the Trait Machine™, a stand-alone semi-automated end-to-end precision breeding system that is time bound and predictable, whose traits are indistinguishable from conventional breeding. Being able to develop and prototype different MOAs associated with Sclerotinia resistance trait in a series of timebound processes is an important ability of the Trait Machine process.
The Company has completed edits in each of four MOAs for its Sclerotinia resistance trait in Canola and has ongoing field tests for two of them. Management expects to complete field and/or greenhouse tests on all four of these MOAs by year end 2025 and expects to have additional edits and greenhouse results for its other MOAs by year end.
Greg Gocal, Co-Founder, Executive Vice President, and Chief Scientific Officer of Cibus, stated, “The results from our new third mode of action are very exciting and demonstrate our efforts to further improve Sclerotinia resistance in canola for the benefit of farmers who are looking for solutions to overcome this widespread disease. Using our RTDS process, this novel approach to develop resistance to complex diseases can be prototyped more quickly compared to a conventional breeding approach, where durable Sclerotinia resistance has not been achieved. Importantly, these new results give us a strong early indication that developing durable resistance using gene editing is commercially viable and can have potentially significant positive impacts for farmers.”
David Kendra, Executive Director of Advanced Trait Development of Cibus, commented, “We have identified multiple unique modes of action to generate resistance to white mold in canola specifically, and pests and diseases generally. The results across each of our modes of action have affirmed our expectation that our work in disease resistance can result in significant levels of resistance to fungal disease. We are pleased to demonstrate these results as we continue to develop traits in this timebound and predictable process.”
Peter Beetham, Co-Founder, Interim Chief Executive Officer of Cibus, added, “At Cibus, we continue to improve the level of resistance to Sclerotinia in canola and expect that the application of these traits will extend to other crops like Soybean. This is important as climate continues to impact the speed of change of diseases in crops and their geographic distribution. These new traits for major crops like canola will allow farmers to preserve yields, lower application costs, and reduce their use of crop protection products like fungicides.”
About Sclerotinia
Sclerotinia sclerotiorum is a fungal pathogen, that causes significant disease (stem rot) in crops including oilseed crops and most legumes including soybean. It globally affects 14
About Cibus
Cibus is a leader in gene edited productivity traits that address critical productivity and sustainability challenges for farmers such as diseases and pests which the United Nations estimates cost the global economy approximately
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the safe harbor provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. In some cases, you can identify these statements by forward-looking words such as “anticipates,” “believes,” “continue,” “estimates,” “expects,” “intends,” “may,” “might,” “plans,” “predicts,” “projects,” “should,” “targets,” “will,” or the negative of these terms and other similar terminology. Forward-looking statements in this press release include, but are not limited to, statements regarding Cibus' operational performance, Cibus' strategy, future operations, prospects, and plans, including the anticipated receipt of commercial revenues and additional funding.
These forward-looking statements are based on the current expectations and assumptions of Cibus' management about future events, which are based on currently available information. These forward-looking statements are subject to numerous risks and uncertainties, many of which are difficult to predict and beyond the control of Cibus. Cibus' actual results, level of activity, performance, or achievements could be materially different than those expressed, implied, or anticipated by forward-looking statements due to a variety of factors, including, but not limited to: Cibus' need for additional near-term funding to finance its activities and challenges in obtaining additional capital on acceptable terms, or at all; changes in expected or existing competition; challenges to Cibus' intellectual property protection and unexpected costs associated with defending intellectual property rights; increased or unanticipated time and resources required for Cibus' platform or trait product development efforts; Cibus' reliance on third parties in connection with its development activities; challenges associated with Cibus' ability to effectively license its productivity traits and sustainable ingredient products; the risk that farmers do not recognize the value in germplasm containing Cibus' traits or that farmers and processors fail to work effectively with crops containing Cibus' traits; delays or disruptions in the Company's platform or trait product development efforts, particularly with respect to its non-Rice and non-disease projects in light of the Company's realigned strategic priorities; challenges that arise in respect of Cibus' production of high-quality plants and seeds cost effectively on a large scale; Cibus' dependence on distributions from Cibus Global, LLC to pay taxes and cover its corporate and overhead expenses; regulatory developments that disfavor or impose significant burdens on gene-editing processes or products; delays and uncertainties regarding regulatory developments in the European Union; Cibus' ability to achieve commercial success; commodity prices and other market risks facing the agricultural sector; technological developments that could render Cibus' technologies obsolete; changes in macroeconomic and market conditions, including inflation, supply chain constraints, and rising interest rates; dislocations in the capital markets and challenges in accessing liquidity and the impact of such liquidity challenges on Cibus' ability to execute on its business plan; and other important factors discussed in the "Risk Factors" section of Cibus' Annual Report on Form 10-K which was filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") on March 21, 2024. Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties occur, or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results and plans could differ materially from those expressed in any forward-looking statements.
In addition, the forward-looking statements included in this press release represent Cibus' views as of the date hereof. Cibus specifically disclaims any obligation to update such forward-looking statements in the future, except as required under applicable law. These forward-looking statements should not be relied upon as representing Cibus' views as of any date subsequent to the date hereof.
CIBUS CONTACTS:
INVESTOR RELATIONS
Karen Troeber
ktroeber@cibus.com
858-450-2636
Jeff Sonnek – ICR
jeff.sonnek@icrinc.com
MEDIA RELATIONS
media@cibus.com
Colin Sanford
colin@bioscribe.com
203-918-4347
FAQ
What are the latest test results for Cibus' (CBUS) white mold resistance trait in Canola?
How many modes of action has Cibus (CBUS) developed for Sclerotinia resistance?
When will Cibus (CBUS) complete testing for all Sclerotinia resistance MOAs?
What are the potential benefits of Cibus' (CBUS) Sclerotinia resistance traits for farmers?
Can Cibus' (CBUS) Sclerotinia resistance technology be applied to other crops?
