Apolo Biotech develops RNA-based alternative to chemical pesticides

Apolo Biotech, a startup based in Santa Fe, Argentina, is developing an RNA-based platform that aims to offer an environmentally safer alternative to traditional chemical pesticides. The company uses interference RNA (RNAi) to enhance plants’ innate immune responses, thereby protecting crops from pathogens without the need for permanent genetic modification or chemical residue.

The technology is built on the concept of applying small, stabilised RNA molecules that interfere with gene expression in plant pathogens. “Plants absorb nucleic acids and are constantly sensing their surroundings,” said Federico Ariel, founder and chief scientific officer of Apolo Biotech. “We deliver information so that plants can learn how to defend themselves.”

Unlike mRNA vaccines used in human medicine, where the RNA instructs cells to produce proteins that trigger an antibody response, the RNA used by Apolo directly interferes with pathogen gene expression. “In plants, it is not mRNA but interference RNA, and there are no antibodies,” Ariel noted.

Apolo’s approach has demonstrated efficacy in defending vegetables against fungal infections, and further development could extend its use to viral and bacterial pathogens, as well as insect pests and potentially weeds. However, targeting weeds remains a complex challenge. The company relies on a bioinformatics platform developed in collaboration with the Sadosky Foundation and Argentina’s National Institute of Agricultural Technology (INTA) to ensure the RNA solutions are specific to their targets and do not harm beneficial organisms or ecosystems.

The startup was founded in March 2022 as a spinout from the University of Litoral and the National Scientific and Technical Research Council (Conicet), after securing a grant from the Ministry of Science for anti-hunger initiatives. It currently employs 30 people and operates out of the Port of Innovation in Santa Fe.

Regulatory approval remains a significant obstacle. The company’s products do not fit neatly into existing categories, making registration in Argentina particularly complex. “That is our main issue right now,” said CEO Matías Badano. Despite a challenging funding environment for science in Argentina, Apolo has sustained operations through grants and pre-commercial agreements without surrendering equity.

In 2024, Apolo established a pilot production facility to manufacture RNA, enzymes, and stabilisers. Field trials are underway for banana crops in Ecuador, Colombia and Costa Rica, and for peanuts in Argentina, Brazil, Nicaragua and the United States. Additional projects target crops such as tomatoes, strawberries, lettuce and grapes—over 30 in total.

The company is considering a funding round to scale production and intends to partner with existing distributors of agricultural inputs. “We will produce and stabilise the RNA, and then sell it to distribution companies,” Ariel said.