GreenLight Biosciences (GreenLight Bio) has been granted registration by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and several states for its groundbreaking Calantha™ product, designed to target and control the highly destructive Colorado potato beetle. An industry first, the registration of Calantha, an innovative bioinsecticide based on RNA, represents an historic stride forward in diversifying options for farmers and reducing reliance on conventional chemical pesticides, which can harm both the environment and human health. Following the federal and state approvals, the company has now successfully sold and shipped its first order.
“The registration of Calantha marks not just a milestone for our company, but a quantum leap for farmers, our food system and security, and people,” said Andrey Zarur, Chief Executive Officer, GreenLight Bio. “This is a new day for farmers seeking to balance pest management with biodiversity protection and environmental health. Calantha embodies the promise of such a future, along with the dozens of other innovations in our product pipeline. We are thrilled to witness the impending impact of this commercial chapter of our company in creating a more sustainable future.”
Calantha offers growers an additional cost-effective option to address the impacts of the mounting chemical pesticide resistance problem. Chemical pesticide resistance is estimated to cost the U.S. agricultural sector at least $10 billion each year.1 The Colorado potato beetle, which decimates plants in the nightshade family, including potatoes, develops resistance quickly to traditional pesticides. The pest accounts for more than half a billion dollars in crop loss worldwide each year. In addition, as regulatory bodies around the world move to limit the use of certain chemical pesticides, Calantha offers farmers a safe, effective and easy-to-use alternative.
