The partnership combines cutting-edge biotechnology and field validation in Brazil to tackle Huanglongbing (HLB).
São Paulo, Brazil – January 13, 2025 — Invaio Sciences, Inc., a global leader in nature-positive agriculture, today announced a strategic collaboration with Fundecitrus (Fund for Citrus Protection), a leading research organization based in Araraquara, Brazil. The partnership aims to accelerate the development and evaluation of novel solutions—particularly peptide-based technologies—for controlling Huanglongbing (HLB), also known as citrus greening, one of the most destructive diseases affecting citrus growers worldwide.
This collaboration brings together Invaio’s innovative Biologicals by Design™ platform and Fundecitrus’ world-class expertise in grove and pest management. Because the bacterium responsible for HLB, Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus (CLas), cannot be cultured in the laboratory, Fundecitrus has pioneered specialized assays and field-based methods to evaluate candidate solutions where traditional approaches fall short. By combining these complementary strengths, the two organizations seek to overcome longstanding barriers in HLB research and accelerate progress toward practical, field-ready tools for growers.
“We’re thrilled to deepen our collaboration with Fundecitrus,” said Ricardo Miranda, VP and Head of Global Development at Invaio Sciences. “Their scientific leadership is critical to advancing new solutions that can transform the way this devastating disease is managed.”
Invaio will also deploy its precision delivery platform, Trecise™, to test and deliver promising candidates directly into citrus trees under real-world conditions.
“We are preparing to launch our first HLB solution in Brazil and are committed to expanding the arsenal of tools available to growers,” said Avram Slovic, Head of LatAm at Invaio Sciences. “Working with Fundecitrus—widely recognized as one of the world’s foremost authorities in citrus health—positions us to translate lab innovation into meaningful impact in the grove.”
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About Invaio Sciences
Invaio Sciences, a Flagship Pioneering company, is a bioplatform company accelerating the leap to nature-positive agriculture. Building on advances in human health and leveraging proprietary GenAI tools, Invaio is uniquely positioned to design and develop peptides for crop health with performance on par with conventional pesticides, enabling farmers to both improve yields and use more natural crop protection solutions. By leading in designer biological technologies, Invaio is addressing consumer demands and unlocking radical benefits for farmers and the environment, leaving every acre better today and for generations to come. For more information, please visit www.invaio.com or follow Invaio on LinkedIn.
About Fundecitrus
Fundecitrus is a nonprofit private Brazilian Citrus Industry Association that represents the interests of citrus growers and the industry. Founded 48 years ago in São Paulo, the organization promotes the sustainable development of citrus production in Brazil. Through its cutting-edge research facilities, hundreds of hectares of field trials in commercial orchards, and more than 130 staff and research members, Fundecitrus has been leading efforts to ensure that Brazilian citrus growers have access to the latest technologies, techniques, and information enabling the sustainable production of citrus products.