Monsanto Backs New Company Focused on Gene Editing

Monsanto Co. will fund a new U.S. company that aims to develop crops using technology known as gene editing, rather than the genetic modification that helped the ag giant become the world’s biggest seed seller.

Monsanto’s vice president of global biotechnology, Tom Adams, will leave the Creve Coeur-based company to become chief executive of the new firm, called Pairwise Plants, the companies told Reuters. He steps into the new role on April 1.

Monsanto Growth Ventures, along with Deerfield Management, on Tuesday announced the it had led a $25 million financing for San Diego-based Pairwise.

The collaboration accelerates a race among agricultural companies worldwide to develop new seeds for crops using gene editing, a process they say can produce non-GMO farm products that do not contain foreign DNA from a different species.