Leveraging the power of innovation

Leveraging the power of innovation

By Lisa Eppler, Ph.D., technical services manager, Syngenta Professional Pest Management

Innovation isn't just a buzzword at Syngenta—it's ingrained in our culture. By fostering a creative and collaborative environment, Syngenta empowers employees to think outside the box and drive innovation at every level of the organization.

With a rich legacy of pioneering solutions to address customer challenges worldwide, Syngenta has been propelled to the forefront of innovation through a dedication to research and development (R&D) in the agricultural and professional product fields.  As part of this commitment, the company set an investment target of $2 billion to be spent on breakthrough sustainable and regenerative innovation by 2025. Our approximately 6,500 employees working in R&D at more than 150 hubs worldwide are striving toward this goal each day.

Breakthrough Chemistries

At Syngenta, we are proud to uphold our responsibility to drive research and innovation forward, which leads to development of solutions that meet the evolving needs of customers in the Professional Pest Management (PPM) industry. Such breakthroughs include the newest insecticide active ingredient, PLINAZOLIN^® technology. PLINAZOLIN technology is a new mode of action for the PPM market in IRAC Group 30. The technology will control insects through contact and ingestion to quickly stop feeding and activity. It will also be a crucial resistance management tool. Upon registration from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), PLINAZOLIN technology will be launched for PPM under the brand name Vanecto^® cockroach gel bait for control of all major cockroach species including German and American cockroaches.

New active ingredients such as this complement the current Syngenta portfolio by increasing the level of control, broadening the pest control spectrum and helping to mitigate resistance. To bring this cutting-edge chemistry to the market demands extensive research spanning more than a decade and thousands of lab and field studies, along with a substantial investment of around $300 million.

The R&D Process

The lab is where the new chemistries process begins: At a small scale, this includes conducting primary biological screening on a chemical molecule, which could be alone or part of a group from the same class. Chemicals that show promise as an active ingredient then go through additional testing and toxicology screening.

While our R&D teams are busy in the lab, other teams conduct market research to help target consumers’ needs. Valuable insights are gleaned from sales representatives, distribution partners, academic researchers or advisory boards. Our legal teams also review patents to determine if there is a defensible claim or research licensing options when necessary.

This research, along with numerous other considerations, ultimately dictates whether an insecticide will be developed. Larger scale laboratory and field testing follows over numerous years in various climate zones and environments to evaluate how pests and plants respond to the chemical application.

Prior to assessment by the EPA, field testing data is used in creating the insecticide label. Additional details that are not listed on the label are generated as part of the EPA assessment process. Once this process is complete, the registration package is ready for submission to the EPA, which can include 12-15 different forms.

This is just one example of the many ways in which R&D is manifested at Syngenta. Through our commitment to innovation, we aim to continuously find new solutions for the agricultural and professional product fields.

Learn more about PLINAZOLIN technology and sign up to be notified about registration at SyngentaPMP.com/PLINAZOLIN.

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