Renaissance Bioscience unveils virus-like particle platform to expand RNAi biopesticide scope beyond chewing insects

Vancouver-based Renaissance Bioscience has developed a novel virus-like particle (VLP) system that could dramatically expand its RNA interference (RNAi) biopesticide platform beyond chewing insects, potentially opening new applications in sucking pests, fungal disease, and weed control.

The company filed a provisional patent for the platform. Rather than delivering dsRNA within whole yeast cells — which limits uptake to insects that physically consume plant material — the new system repurposes naturally occurring, non-infectious dsRNA viruses already inside baker’s yeast cells. Renaissance strips the viruses’ own genetic material and replaces it with its proprietary dsRNA payloads, creating protein nano-carriers of roughly 40 to 50 nanometers in diameter: far smaller than the yeast cells themselves.

“We’ve discovered a new way to package double stranded RNA inside of yeast and we can get very high levels during production, more so than our previous system, which was already commercially viable,” said Dr. John Husnik, CEO of Renaissance Bioscience. “Now we get extraordinary higher amounts and the broader application, that’s why we’re quite excited about it.”

The existing whole-yeast platform targets Colorado potato beetles and comparable chewing pests, with a 98% mortality rate in independent laboratory testing. Because VLPs are far smaller particles, they create the potential to reach sucking insects such as aphids, whiteflies, and thrips — a substantially larger portion of the global crop protection market — as well as possible fungicide and herbicide applications. Husnik acknowledged that extracting VLPs from yeast cells adds a downstream processing step and some cost, but said the higher dsRNA yields per production batch would more than offset that expense.

The VLP platform remains at the early research stage. Renaissance plans to advance it through development while continuing to scale the original whole-yeast system toward commercial registration. The company has an existing joint development agreement with Dutch crop protection specialist Certis Belchim targeting an unspecified chewing pest.

Source: AgFunderNews