• FDACS approves first registration of Invaio's Trecise™ technology to deliver ArborBiotic™ for the suppression of citrus greening in oranges
• Citrus growers gain new solution for the protection of young and non-bearing trees
• Trecise™ technology is a gamechanger for disease treatment and yield recovery

CAMBRIDGE, Mass., Aug. 29, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Invaio Sciences, a bio platform company accelerating the leap to nature-positive agriculture, today announced that its Citrus Health solution to suppress citrus greening in oranges received approval from the Florida Department of Agriculture and Community Services (FDACS) under section 24(c) of the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA). 

Invaio's Citrus Health solution treats the devastating citrus greening disease – also known as Huanglongbing (HLB) – spread by the Asian citrus psyllid. The disease has wreaked havoc on the Florida citrus industry and is responsible for massive losses in yields and profits since 2006.

"I'm really excited about what Invaio is doing," said Ned Hancock, Fifth-Generation Citrus Grower. "This is probably the first time in my lifetime our industry has seen truly new technology. I see this as potentially revolutionizing the way we manage citrus."

Invaio's new solution will deliver ArborBiotic™¹ through Invaio's groundbreaking application technology, Trecise™. Unlike conventional injection treatments, this minimally invasive system requires 90% less active ingredient as it delivers directly into the tree's vascular system. Trials of the solution have shown an average yield increase of 30% after just one treatment as well as increased in BRIX and a reduction in fruit drop.

"Invaio's Trecise™ technology offers a real breakthrough in the fight against citrus greening, a disease that has devastated the industry for more than 15 years," said Ignacio Martinez, Founding CEO of Invaio. "This is the first of many Invaio technologies that will benefit growers, crops and the environment."

The Trecise™ system has several key advantages for growers and applicators. Its 120-day pre-harvest interval is 60 days shorter than conventional injection treatments. There's no need for drilling, making it suitable for young trees that have had few treatment options available until now. Because it applies active ingredients directly in the conductive tissues of the tree, it needs lower rates for equivalent efficacy, reducing the risks of misapplication and residues. It also dramatically reduces risk of exposure to workers and the environment because of its closed-system design.

"We're excited to launch our Trecise™ system and are optimistic about the future of Florida's citrus industry. With our initial focus on treating young and non-bearing trees, we hope to show that growers can get trees to bearing age with minimal disease symptoms and build confidence for replanting," said Dave Gerrard, Head of Commercial US. "This is just the first step. We're committed to delivering further solutions to help Florida citrus growers regain their pre-HLB yields."

About Invaio
Invaio Sciences, founded by Flagship Pioneering, is a bio platform company accelerating the leap to nature-positive agriculture. The company builds on advances in human health and digital innovation to develop biological technologies for crop health, enabling farmers to both improve yields and use more natural crop health solutions. Invaio is addressing consumer demands and unlocking radical benefits for farmers and the environment, leaving every acre better today and for generations to come. For more information about Invaio, please visit www.invaio.com or follow Invaio on Twitter or LinkedIn. For more information about Invaio Citrus Health in the US, visit www.invaiocitrus.com

About Flagship Pioneering
Flagship Pioneering conceives, creates, resources, and develops first-in-category bioplatform companies to transform human health and sustainability. Since its launch in 2000, the firm has, through its Flagship Labs unit, applied its unique hypothesis-driven innovation process to originate and foster more than 100 scientific ventures, resulting in more than $90 billion in aggregate value. To date, Flagship has deployed over $3.4 billion in capital toward the founding and growth of its pioneering companies alongside more than $26 billion of follow-on investments from other institutions. The current Flagship ecosystem comprises 45 transformative companies, including Denali Therapeutics (NASDAQ: DNLI), Foghorn Therapeutics (NASDAQ: FHTX), Generate Biomedicines, Inari, Indigo Agriculture, Moderna (NASDAQ: MRNA), Omega Therapeutics (NASDAQ: OMGA), Sana Biotechnology (NASDAQ: SANA), Seres Therapeutics (NASDAQ: MCRB) and Tessera Therapeutics.

¹ArborBiotic™ is a trademark of MGF Scientific, Inc.