Agragene Licenses Pairwise's Fulcrum® Platform to Support Cleaner Pest Control

Agragene Licenses Pairwise’s Fulcrum® Platform to Support Cleaner Pest Control

First Application of Fulcrum® Technology in Insects Paves the Way for Precision-Guided Sterile Insect Solutions

ST. LOUIS, MO. and DURHAM, NC — June 23, 2026

Pairwise, a global innovator in agricultural gene editing, announced on June 23, 2026, a landmark licensing agreement granting Agragene access to its proprietary Fulcrum® CRISPR platform. This partnership marks the first time Fulcrum® technology will be applied within insect systems to drive sustainable crop pest protection.

Advancing Precision-Guided Sterile Insect Technology (pgSIT)

Agragene will integrate Fulcrum® tools into the development of its Precision-Guided Sterile Insect Technology (pgSIT) platform, which produces sterile male insects for proactive, species-specific population control. Its inaugural product, KNOCKOUT™ SWD, targets the spotted wing drosophila (SWD)—an invasive fly causing over $1 billion annually in losses for U.S. and Canadian berry, cherry, and soft fruit growers.

“Growers are running out of options as pests develop resistance to conventional insecticides, and they are looking for tools that are safe, targeted, and sustainable. Access to Fulcrum® strengthens the editing technology behind our pgSIT platform and helps us move faster from field trials towards practical tools growers can use.”

— Bryan Witherbee, President and CEO of Agragene

Targeted Control Protecting Beneficial Species

Because pgSIT is highly species-specific, it suppresses only the targeted pest while leaving crops, beneficial insects (such as bees and ladybugs), and the surrounding environment completely unaffected. Dr. Tom Adams, CEO of Pairwise, praised the collaboration:

“Pairwise works across all of agriculture, which means partnering with people closest to the problems. Agragene is the first to apply Fulcrum® in insect systems, and it’s exactly the kind of creative use we hoped good tools would find.”

“Delivering cleaner pest control that supports healthier crops and a healthier planet.”