Gene-edited herbicide tolerance traits in rice transferred to Interoc as Cibus moves closer to commercial launch in Latin America, leveraging its Rapid Trait Development System to accelerate seed innovation and yield-focused solutions
Cibus, Inc. (Nasdaq: CBUS), an agricultural technology company focused on plant trait development and licensing, has announced the transfer of gene-edited herbicide tolerance traits in rice to its partner Interoc, marking a key step toward commercialization in Latin America.
The materials will enable Interoc S.A. to begin testing and production of rice seed varieties incorporating Cibus’ gene-edited traits, ahead of a planned regional launch under its CIBUS enhanced seed portfolio.
“This collaboration with Cibus continues to deliver significant value,” said Fernando De La Puente, Corporate Vice President at Interoc. “Rice is a critical crop for the Latin American economy, and we are committed to providing growers with advanced traits that optimize their productivity.”
Cibus said the milestone supports its strategy of delivering predictable, time-bound trait development through its Rapid Trait Development System, which is designed to accelerate the introduction of crop innovations aimed at improving yield and resilience.
“Achieving this milestone on schedule reinforces our core objective: the predictable development of desired traits in rice and other crops,” said Peter Beetham, PhD, Co-founder and Interim Chief Executive Officer of Cibus. “We are addressing the global need for accelerated trait innovation and helping equip farmers with solutions that support food security.”
The company added that growing regulatory alignment on gene-edited crops globally is expected to support broader commercialization efforts across its pipeline. Additional traits are expected to progress toward partner delivery over the coming year.
“Our partnership with Interoc has been characterized by high-level collaboration and productivity,” said Martin Poveda, Senior Director Rice & Business Affairs at Cibus. “Together, we are creating solutions tailored to key markets, and we look forward to the commercial rollout of gene-edited products in the coming years.”
