Moa and Naicons strike deal to develop next-gen herbicides

More than 273 weed species have developed resistance to existing herbicides, leading to over $11 billion in annual crop losses in the U.S. alone. With the agricultural sector urgently seeking biological alternatives, Oxford-based Moa Technology has entered a five-year partnership with Milan’s Naicons to accelerate the discovery of next-generation herbicides.

Under the agreement, Moa Technology secures exclusive access to Naicons’ 70,000 microbial natural product library—one of the most extensive actinomycete collections globally. Moa will deploy its high-throughput screening platform to evaluate these microbial extracts, searching for bioactive compounds capable of controlling weeds without harming human health or the environment. The goal is to develop biological solutions that can function as standalone herbicides or improve the efficacy and resistance management of existing products.

Moa’s screening platform has already evaluated nearly 800,000 synthetic and natural compounds, identifying over 70 potential novel herbicide modes of action. Three synthetic herbicides discovered by Moa have performed strongly in international field trials, highlighting the company’s ability to bring viable solutions to market.

“Early screening helps us rule out weak or toxic compounds before they reach development,” said Moa CEO Dr. Virginia Corless. “We are eager to apply our technology to Naicons’ high-quality microbial collection and identify a biological herbicide that can help farmers tackle herbicide resistance.”

For Naicons, the partnership marks a first in screening its microbial library for herbicide potential. CEO Dr. Stefano Donadio noted, “Our library has never been screened for herbicides, and we expect to find promising leads. With over 150,000 molecules already identified, we are confident strong candidates will emerge.”

The agreement grants Moa exclusive development rights to any herbicides discovered, with both companies sharing in future licensing and commercialization value. By combining Moa’s advanced screening capabilities with Naicons’ microbial expertise, the collaboration aims to introduce safer and more effective solutions for farmers confronting herbicide resistance.