Exosect

About Exosect

Exosect Limited was a company that operated in the agricultural technology sector, focusing on the development of environmentally conscious pest control solutions. The company was established in 2001 as a spin-out from the University of Southampton in the UK, commercializing the research of Professor Philip Howse. Professor Howse, who served as the technical director, dedicated 30 years to the School of Biological Sciences, and his work, inspired by the trapping mechanism of pitcher plants, formed the foundation of the company's technology.

The core of Exosect's offering was its proprietary Entostat platform technology. This technology utilized an electrostatically charged micro-powder, derived from natural and synthetic waxes, to deliver a variety of active ingredients for crop protection. The Entostat powder adheres to insects, which then act as carriers, distributing the pest control agent throughout their own population in a method dubbed "auto-confusion". This targeted delivery system allowed for a significant reduction in the volume of pesticides used compared to conventional spraying methods. One of the leading variants of Entostat is based on a chemically inert carnauba wax blend, sustainably harvested from the Brazilian Carnauba palm.

Exosect's business model was twofold; it developed and sold its own branded products, such as the Exosex range for mating disruption, and also out-licensed its Entostat technology to other companies. This strategy allowed partners to create new formulations of their own chemistries, providing them with differentiated products and new intellectual property. The company's clients included growers, food producers, and processors in markets such as agriculture, horticulture, forestry, public health, and animal health. A notable success was the Exosex CM product for controlling codling moths in apple and pear orchards. The company also achieved a significant milestone by selling the rights to its ExomitePro product, for controlling the varroa mite in bees, to Bayer CropScience.

In May 2019, the Canadian biological crop protection company Terramera acquired Exosect's technology and its extensive intellectual property portfolio, which included 134 patents and patent applications. This acquisition was intended to complement Terramera's own Actigate Targeted Performance technology. Following the acquisition of its IP, Exosect Limited was officially dissolved in January 2020. Terramera has since integrated the Exosect delivery technology into its platform to enhance the stability and performance of biological actives.