Corteva, Inc., a global leader in agricultural technology, and Pairwise, a technology company pioneering the application of gene editing in food and agriculture, announced a collaboration to accelerate the delivery of advanced solutions in precision agriculture, to the benefit of the environment and, consequently, consumers. Gene editing uses a plant’s own DNA to make targeted improvements, providing growers with another critical tool to keep up with the challenges facing food production, including those presented by climate change.

As part of the agreement, Corteva will make a $25 million equity investment in Pairwise, through the Corteva Catalyst program, the company’s new investment and partnership platform focused on accessing agricultural innovation to drive value creation. This action aims to help expand the reach and benefits of gene editing to a wide variety of commodity and specialty crops.

Additionally, Corteva and Pairwise have formed a joint venture to accelerate and expand the delivery of advanced plant innovation technologies aimed at increasing crop yields for food, fuel and fiber production, which are facing challenges as a result of global warming.

The five-year agreement aims to leverage both companies' advanced capabilities in agricultural solutions innovation to accelerate the delivery of gene-edited products by generating and evaluating unique modifications to multiple traits in the DNA of a wide variety of crops. Building on Corteva's leadership and track record in plant performance improvement, the two companies will collaborate to develop and deploy gene-edited products that are more resilient to extreme weather events and environmental modifications.

“Gene editing is a transformative technology for agriculture that will promote climate resilience in agriculture and drive the increased agricultural productivity needed to feed and supply the world’s growing population,” said Sam Eathington, Corteva’s Global Head of Technology and Digitalization. “As a leader in precision technologies, we are proud to work with Pairwise to accelerate the benefits of gene editing not only for farmers, but also for those who rely on the availability of affordable, sustainably grown food – all consumers.”

“Plant innovation technologies are set to revolutionize agriculture, through crops that are better adapted to climate change, more nutritious and convenient for consumers, and more cost-effective for growers,” added Tom Adams, CEO and co-founder of Pairwise. “Through our Fulcrum platform, we are proud to be at the forefront of applying this transformative technology in agriculture and, together with partners like Corteva, accelerate the realization of these benefits for global stakeholders.”

Pairwise is a leader in the use of gene editing for differentiated crops. Last year, the company launched the first CRISPR-powered food in the United States and has several products in development across major crops including corn, soybeans, wheat, canola, blackberries and more.

The Fulcrum platform includes proprietary plant innovation tools that provide the ability to not only turn a trait on or off, but also, through base editing and related technologies, “tune” it to find its sweet spot for maximum yield. These novel Pairwise editing tools enable scientists to precisely tailor a wide range of genetic variation to develop distinctive new plant types much more quickly and effectively than conventional breeding.

This is the first joint venture and major equity investment in gene editing by Corteva Catalyst, the company’s new financing and partnership platform, and reflects Corteva’s nearly century-long track record (through its Pioneer brand) of advancing and innovating through diverse partnerships, including with the global scientific community.