Israeli Crop-Strengthening Platform Receives European Patent

An Israeli agtech startup that uses a specialized platform to improve traits in crops has just been granted a patent for its technology in Europe. 

The Direct in Plant (DIP) platform, developed by PlantArcBio, scans millions of genes to determine the ones best suited for adapting crops to climate change, as well as to be resistant to pests and weeds. It then applies these traits in plant models to demonstrate its efficacy.

The platform has already discovered genes that were later used in corn and soybeans to increase their drought resistance. 

“Granting the patent for our technology by the EPO [European Patent Office] is a significant milestone and achievement for PlantArcBio and is a testament to the innovation and ingenuity of our team,” said Dr. Dror Shalitin, the CEO of PlantArcBio.

“We firmly believe that this technology will continue to play a pivotal role in addressing global food security and critical sustainability goals, and this patent reaffirms our commitment to making a meaningful impact,” he said.

Shalitin said that the company has already received a US patent for the first gene discovered using the DIP platform, and US patent requests for additional genes are currently at advanced stages.

“We are delighted to receive this additional patent that recognizes the intrinsic benefits of our innovative technology,” he said.