French university spin-out company Micropep Technologies and Corteva Inc have announced a multi-year research and development collaboration to develop peptide-based biocontrol solutions.

Corteva invested in Micropep through its Corteva Catalyst platform in 2024. Under the agreement, Corteva will conduct joint research with Micropep scientists. The statement from Micropep says Corteva will hold exclusive rights on a defined peptide library, and Corteva will be able to apply these peptides globally across biocontrol and biofungicide applications.

Micropep was founded in 2016 as a spin-off of “LRSV”, a French plant research laboratory from the Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS) and Toulouse University.

The company specialises in micropeptides, which are short natural protein molecules that target and regulate plant genes and proteins. “Micropep’s small peptides represent entirely new modes of action: they have excellent safety profiles, strong field efficacy, and help overcome resistance issues,” said the 18 June statement from Micropep.

According to the company’s website, Micropep has raised nearly $52m from European and US investors and started its expansion in the USA in 2022.

“This strategic agreement represents the first major industry validation of Micropep’s proprietary Krisalix™ discovery platform, which uses advanced algorithms and high-throughput bioassays to rapidly discover new bioactive peptides to develop efficient and environmentally friendly crop protection solutions,” the company said.