San Diego, California, USA
Oct. 16, 2025
Collaboration aims to accelerate the adoption of advanced gene editing technologies and deliver high-performance traits that support more sustainable and productive rice production in India
Cibus, Inc. (Nasdaq: CBUS), a leading agricultural technology company specializing in the development and licensing of gene-edited plant traits, today announced its agreement with AgVayā, a strategic growth advisory firm that partners with leading innovators, to develop strategies and solutions for the Indian agriculture market. Together, the companies will define market strategies, build partnerships, and accelerate the introduction of Cibus’ gene editing technologies into India’s rice seed industry, supporting the development of more resilient and productive rice varieties that are critical to both India’s agricultural economy and the global rice supply. Working through AgVayā, Cibus will actively partner with industry and government stakeholders across India to address some of the country’s biggest agricultural challenges in rice, while inviting R&D and commercial collaborations to accelerate impact.
India is the world’s second-largest producer and the largest exporter of rice, with approximately 50 million hectares (125 million acres) under cultivation. As a cornerstone of Indian agriculture and a critical contributor to the national economy and food security across Asia, rice presents both enormous opportunities and pressing challenges. Modern gene editing technologies create solutions to drive affordable costs, accelerate the breeding cycle, and lower dependence on pesticides.
“This partnership represents a significant milestone for Cibus as we work to extend our innovative gene editing technologies to support one of the world’s most important rice-producing regions,” said Peter Beetham, Ph.D., co-founder and Interim CEO of Cibus. “With more than 25 years of technical expertise and exciting ongoing trait development in rice, we are excited to work alongside AgVayā’s experienced team to introduce high-performance seed solutions to Indian farmers. Our goal is to foster meaningful collaborations across India’s decentralized agricultural ecosystem to address critical challenges through cutting-edge innovation.”
Through this agreement, Cibus and AgVayā will work together to develop a comprehensive strategy to expand Cibus’ presence in India, partnering with companies, institutions, and government stakeholders to tackle key challenges in the rice industry. The collaboration will focus on enabling joint development and commercialization of advanced herbicide and sustainability traits, creating opportunities for Indian rice seed companies and public agencies to integrate cutting-edge gene editing solutions. By leveraging Cibus’ gene-editing technologies, Cibus aims to accelerate breeding timelines in India by more than a decade, make modern seed technologies more accessible, and reduce dependence on pesticides, all in support of developing climate-resilient, high-yielding rice seed varieties adapted to evolving agronomic and environmental conditions worldwide.
“We are proud to help bring Cibus’ world-class gene editing technologies to strategic crops of interest to India,” said Sekhar Natarajan, Partner of AgVayā. “Rice is central to India’s agricultural economy, and the integration of advanced seed technologies has the potential to transform productivity, sustainability, and farmer prosperity. By combining Cibus’ innovations with AgVayā’s strategic relationships and market expertise, we aim to accelerate the adoption of these technologies, driving scalable, long-term improvements that strengthen India’s rice industry and support global food security.”
This agreement follows Cibus’ recent announcement of a material transfer agreement with Centro Internacional de Agricultura Tropical (CIAT), in collaboration with the Latin American Fund for Irrigated Rice (FLAR), to introduce Cibus’ HT3 clethodim herbicide tolerance trait into elite rice germplasm for Latin America, underscoring Cibus’ commitment to advancing rice innovation globally.
About Cibus
Cibus is leading a new era in agriculture. The company is a technology leader developing and licensing advanced plant traits that enable higher yields, lower input costs, and more sustainable farming. Using proprietary precision gene editing and breeding systems, Cibus can develop traits with remarkable speed and accuracy, at a fraction of the time and cost of conventional breeding or GMO approaches. By partnering with seed companies worldwide, Cibus is transforming how crops are grown and helping to build a more productive and sustainable future for agriculture. For more information, please visit www.cibus.com.
About AgVayā
AgVayā is a premier advisory firm dedicated to driving transformation across agriculture and food value chains. With deep domain expertise and a solution-driven approach, we help organizations navigate growth, transformation, and innovation in agriculture and food industries. Our team comprises former CXOs and industry veterans who have led some of the world’s top agribusinesses. We go beyond strategy by working closely with organizations to implement practical, high-impact solutions that deliver measurable results. For more information, please visit www.AgVayā.com.
Topics
Species
