[Edaily Reporter Park Jeong-soo] #Genolution announced on the 4th that it has completed the registration of a patent for a "Bee Larva Rearing System" that enables the stable rearing of bee larvae in a laboratory environment.
This patent covers a technology that employs a modular structure allowing for individual management while enabling honeybee larvae to grow in an environment similar to their natural habitat. It is designed to enhance the reproducibility and reliability of research processes, making it suitable for various honeybee-related studies.
Previously, there were limitations in ensuring consistent research results during disease research and toxicity assessments using honeybee larvae due to individual growth variations and differences in experimental environments. The company expects this technology to address these issues and be utilized in research on honeybee viral diseases, drug efficacy evaluations, and toxicity and safety assessments.
In particular, as it can be applied to research on the varroa mite—identified as a major cause of the honeybee colony collapse phenomenon—it is expected to serve as a core research platform in the future development of pharmaceuticals for honeybees.
The company explained that this patent is significant not merely as the acquisition of research equipment technology, but as part of a strategy to establish an RNA-based green bio-platform.
Genolution has developed and commercialized an RNA-based treatment for sacbrood disease in honeybees, and this product was designated as an innovative product by the Public Procurement Service last April. Additionally, the company has secured a patent for double-stranded RNA (dsRNA)-based pine wood nematode control technology and is currently pursuing the development of a varroa mite treatment and RNA-based crop protection agents.
As the global decline in honeybee populations and damage from pests and diseases emerge as major issues for agricultural productivity and food security, demand for eco-friendly pest control technologies is also growing. Accordingly, Genolution plans to accelerate the development of honeybee pharmaceuticals and RNA crop protection agents based on this patent and take the lead in the next-generation green bio market.
A Genolution official stated, “We have now secured not only RNA design and synthesis technology, disease analysis, efficacy verification, and production technology, but also the experimental platform, which is the core foundation of our R&D process,” adding, “We will continue to strengthen our technological competitiveness and intellectual property (IP) base in the green bio sector.”