Ground-breaking vector and pest control solutions for a healthier and more sustainable world
At Biocentis, our mission is to develop eco-friendly genetic solutions to effectively and safely control the dangerous insect species that spread disease to humans, reduce biodiversity, or threaten food security.
Biocentis leverages CRISPR-based technologies that are biological, environmentally friendly, and can be tailored to obtain levels of control that are suitable for a broad range of applications. Building on a unique proprietary technological platform, invented by our founders at Imperial College London and applicable to all insect species, Biocentis aims to re-imagine the future of biocontrol.
Insects play an essential role in the global ecosystem, but among the planet’s millions of insect species are those that have catastrophic effects on humans and the environment. Insects spread diseases that cause hundreds of thousands of deaths every year. Agricultural insect pests damage up to 25% of the global crop production, while invasive insects threaten ecosystems and biodiversity by displacing native species.
Insecticides are the most widespread tool currently in use to control harmful insect species, but continued reliance on them alone is unfeasible, as most insect species that have been the target of insecticide-based interventions have developed some level of resistance, forcing control programmes to respond with ever increasing amounts of chemicals.
Our next-generation self-limiting gene drive technology addresses the need for exceptionally effective and sustainable control tools for insect pests and vectors of disease. Our technology, which is species-specific, entails the engineering of insects carrying genetic traits designed to prevent harmful insect populations from reproducing in large numbers, while reducing the use of chemical insecticides to further safeguard the environment.
We want to empower communities around the world to tackle the most dangerous insect vectors of disease, to preserve biodiversity and to protect agricultural crops from harmful insect pests. Our vision is a more sustainable world, capable of feeding a growing population and free of vector-borne disease.