Boragen

About Boragen

Boragen, Inc. was established to leverage the chemical properties of boron for developing a synthetic chemistry platform. The company was founded in 2015 and publicly launched in 2017, headquartered in Research Triangle Park, North Carolina. Its founders include a group of distinguished scientists: C. Tony Liu, Stephen Benkovic, Gerald Fink, Paul Schimmel, and Lucy Shapiro. The initial idea stemmed from co-founder Tony Liu's work with boron chemicals for human health, leading to the realization of their potential in agriculture. Liu, who served as Chief Scientific Officer, earned his PhD in Organic Chemistry from Queen's University and has extensive experience in biotech, overseeing R&D, IP strategy, and corporate development.

The company's primary business was creating next-generation solutions for crop protection, animal health, and human health. The initial market focus was on developing synthetic fungicides to address the growing issue of pest resistance in large-scale agriculture for crops like corn and wheat. This was driven by the need for new modes of action, as existing fungicides were becoming less effective. The technology was based on a novel class of small molecules involving a boron atom, specifically benzoxaboroles, which were originally explored for pharmaceuticals. The business model centered on acting as an innovation engine, developing lead compounds and then partnering with larger agricultural and animal health companies for commercialization. For instance, Boragen secured a research and development agreement with a major animal health company to develop treatments for canine atopic dermatitis.

Boragen operated as the first startup launched from the AgTech Accelerator, which, along with a syndicate of investors including the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Bayer, and Syngenta Ventures, provided an initial $10 million in Series A funding. This support allowed the scientific team to concentrate on discovery and development milestones. The company's platform aimed to create fungicides that required smaller application amounts while maintaining efficacy, thus promoting more sustainable farming. In 2022, Boragen underwent a corporate restructuring, splitting its diverse research portfolio into three distinct companies to better focus on crop protection, animal health, and human health, respectively. The company is now considered deadpooled or inactive under its original structure.