Commercialization Milestone
Pheronym Awarded $378,000 NSF Phase IIB Funding to Scale Manufacturing and Field Validation
Accelerating Sustainable, Non-Toxic Nematode Control Solutions
Funding Award
$378,000
Agency
NSF SBIR
Announcement Date
April 2, 2026
Pheronym, an ag-biotech pest control company, announced today it has been awarded $378,000 in National Science Foundation (NSF) SBIR Phase IIB supplemental funding. This award provides additional R&D support to accelerate commercialization of Pheronym’s Phase II innovations following third-party investment commitments driven by the company’s NSF-funded breakthroughs. The funding will enable Pheronym to scale manufacturing of its nematode pheromone platform to pilot levels and advance development of its new product, Pherocall™, designed to control plant-parasitic nematodes (PPNs) through improvements in soil microbiome health.
Scaling Nemastim™ Manufacturing to Pilot Level
Pheronym previously developed a scalable manufacturing platform for nematode pheromones during its NSF Phase I program using shake flask fermentation, demonstrating proof of concept and product efficacy. Under its Phase II award, the company successfully transitioned production from shake flasks to 2L and 5L benchtop bioreactors. With Phase IIB support, Pheronym will:
- Scale production further to 100L fermentation systems.
- Optimize raw material sourcing to reduce cost at scale.
- Support commercialization of both Nemastim™ and Pherocall™ through this pilot-scale capability.
Advancing Pherocall™ for Plant-Parasitic Nematode Control
During Phase II R&D, Pheronym discovered that nematode pheromones enhance soil microbial biodiversity and increase populations of microbes that naturally suppress plant-parasitic nematodes. This led to the development of Pherocall™, a stand-alone product targeting PPN control. With Phase IIB funding, Pheronym will conduct field trials evaluating Pherocall™ to control root-knot nematodes and reduce root galling in tomato crops under real-world conditions. The product can be applied via irrigation systems or as a seed treatment.
Addressing a $173 Billion Global Problem
Plant-parasitic nematodes pose a major threat to food security, with estimated annual global economic losses of $173 billion. Increasing regulatory restrictions and environmental concerns are driving the phase-out of traditional synthetic nematicides.
“This NSF Phase IIB funding is a critical milestone that allows us to move from successful lab and bench-scale validation to pilot-scale production and field deployment.” – Dr. Fatma Kaplan, CEO of Pheronym
About Pheronym
Pheronym is an ag-biotech pest management company enabling sustainable farming through its novel platform of nematode pheromones. Its patented solutions use pheromones to control plant-parasitic nematodes eco-friendly and enhance beneficial nematodes’ efficacy against insect pests. The company is the first to develop a scalable bio-manufacturing method for nematode pheromones.
Pheronym, Inc. – Sustainable Ag-Biotech
Visit www.pheronym.com for more information.
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