Collaboration for development of new formulations and manufacturing processes of Zequanox® for control of invasive mussels
DAVIS, Calif., December 19, 2023 – The Invasive Species Corp. (ISC) (a Delaware public benefit corporation), a provider of bio-based invasive species control products, announces the signing of a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) with the United States Geological Survey (USGS) for further research and development of Zequanox® for controlling invasive mussels. This agreement enhances and improves the product for commercial use.
Zequanox has been used extensively for years by utilities, irrigation system operators, recreational managers and resource management agencies to control invasive zebra and quagga mussel infestations. This CRADA’s main purposes is to evaluate delivery, efficacy, and selectivity of bottom-release formulations of Zequanox in controlled and open water environments. Once these studies are completed, new formulations of Zequanox can then be operationalized for use by resource managers throughout much of the United States to control populations of invasive mussels.
“We are excited to extend our relationship with the USGS by signing a second CRADA for these much-needed biological control products. Zequanox® already exerts 90%+ control and is registered with the EPA for open water and closed system applications. The second-generation formulation should be less expensive and easier to use allowing resource managers to spread the product in open water, sinking to the bottom and dissolving in the area where the mussels feed,” said Dr. Pam Marrone, Co-founder and Executive Chairperson. “We are excited to offer Zequanox® for invasive mussel control, and in the future, Piscamycin™, for invasive fish control, two important tools for private and public resource managers to control problematic and spreading invasive species. Our goal is to offset some the impacts of climate related change, especially preserving biodiversity through the control of these invasive pests who overrun entire ecosystems,” said Jim Boyd, Co-founder and CEO.
“The USGS is happy to collaborate with the Invasive Species Corporation to further develop Zequanox. We are pleased to help this product become easier and less expensive to use and increase its ability to restore native habitats,” said Jon Amberg, PhD – Supervisory Biologist with the USGS – Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center.
“The technology transfer program at the USGS is designed to leverage the research capabilities of USGS scientists with the commercial development potential of the private sector. The USGS looks forward to collaborating with ISC to help control the spread of invasive species,” said James Mitchell – Patent and Licensing Manager, USGS –Technology Transfer Program.
About the U.S. Geological Survey
Created by an act of Congress in 1879, the U.S. Geological Survey has evolved over the decades, matching its talent and knowledge to the progress of science and technology. The USGS is the lead science agency for the Department of the Interior. It is sought out by thousands of partners and customers for its natural science expertise and its vast earth and biological data holdings. The USGS provides science about natural hazards, natural resources, ecosystems and environmental health, and the effects of climate and land-use change. Learn more at www.usgs.gov or follow us on Facebook @USGeologicalSurvey, YouTube @USGS, Instagram @USGS, or X (formerly Twitter) @USGS.
About the Invasive Species Corporation
The Invasive Species Corporation was founded to discover, develop and market bio-based solutions to control invasive species in water, forestry and agriculture. Invasive species have caused more than $1 trillion in damage, with more than $420 billion annually and are considered one of the top contributors to the earth’s significant and rapid decline in biodiversity, right behind land-use alteration. ISC’s goal is to regenerate our planet’s environment through the application of bio-based, sustainable and earthfriendly solutions, thereby preserving ecological biodiversity and reversing climate change effects. The ISC is currently selling Zequanox® for invasive zebra and quagga mussel control and is developing Piscamycin™ for control of invasive carp and other invasive fish. The company is also in the discovery phase of a project to develop a microbial natural product (bioherbicide) for invasive and other problematic weeds, causing major damage to crop lands, reserved spaces, and waterways despite the annual use of $25 billions of synthetic chemical pesticides globally. The company recently announced that it was awarded a $388,000 grant from the Washington State Department of Agriculture to find a microbial solution to control of burrowing shrimp harming oyster beds.
Learn more about The Invasive Species Corporation at www.invasivespeciescorporation.com as well as our corporate LinkedIn account.
Invasive Species Corporation Contacts:
Pam Marrone, Executive Chairperson and Co-Founder
Telephone: +1 (530) 902-1014
Email: Pam@invasivespeciescorporation.com
Jim Boyd
President, CEO and Co-Founder
Telephone: +1 (415) 306-2945
Email: Jim@invasivespeciescorporation.com