Corteva is partnering with California-based Profluent to use artificial intelligence and gene editing to create a new generation of crops that are more sustainable and resilient, the companies announced today. Under the new partnership, Profluent will use its AI protein design platform to design gene editing systems, while Corteva will explore their use in agricultural applications. Financial details of the deal were not disclosed. The collaboration, enabled by Corteva’s investment platform Corteva Catalyst, will focus on designing AI-driven gene editing solutions within Corteva’s Genlytix ecosystem. Profluent’s work in generative biology includes ProGen3, a foundational model trained on the company’s proprietary Protein Atlas of more than 80 billion protein sequences, and OpenCRISPR-1, the first genome editor created by AI. By combining Profluent’s models with Corteva’s research and development work, the companies hope to accelerate crop engineering tools. Corteva invests in research and development to discover products that combine seeds, crop protection and digital products. “Combining our existing gene editing expertise with Profluent’s protein design foundational model gives us the opportunity to design the next generation of gene editing tools that improve accuracy, expand functionality, and create reliable solutions for producers around the world,” said Tom Greene, Corteva’s senior director and global lead for Corteva Catalyst, in a release. Learn more about business records on the Corteva Catalyst platform.
