Protecting Honey Bees: An effective and long lasting new mode of action for varroa control

About 3 million commercial honeybee colonies in the United States help pollinate more than 100 crops each year that are worth an estimated $15 billion. However, the parasitic Varroa destructor mite poses a grave threat to their survival, destroying colonies worldwide.  

To help beekeepers combat this pest, GreenLight Biosciences has developed a brand-new active ingredient, vadescana, an innovative RNA-based treatment designed to target reproductive Varroa mites.

The escalating issue of pest resistance is rendering conventional miticides less effective, highlighting the urgent need for alternative strategies in maintaining hive health. Beekeepers are also mindful of the potential impacts chemical pesticides can have on bee populations. Introducing biologically derived options will be pivotal for the health and safety of bee colonies and will make them more sustainable in the long term.

Vadescana is a breakthrough in integrated pest management. It uses the natural, biological process of RNA interference, common in most living things, to deliver targeted protection against Varroa mites while preserving bee health. It is also formulated with sustainability in mind – it degrades safely and quickly in soil and water, protecting biodiversity and ecosystem health.

GreenLight Bio submitted a dossier for vadescana to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for regulatory review in early 2023. We look forward to receiving regulatory approval and making this valuable tool for safeguarding honeybee populations available to beekeepers in the near future.

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