Syngenta acquires license for Merck insecticide

Syngenta has acquired an exclusive licence to US pharmaceutical firm Merck & Co's manufacturing technology for the insecticide, abamectin. The deal covers the use of the insecticide for crop protection, seed treatments, turf and ornamentals. The Syngenta forerunner, Novartis, acquired Merck's agrochemical business in 1997 (Agrow No 284, p 3). The two companies entered into a long-term supply agreement, but no manufacturing facilities were involved in the acquisition.

Access to Merck's manufacturing technology will enable Syngenta to "significantly expand manufacturing capacity of abamectin while retaining the high purity associated with existing Merck manufacturing processes", says Mike Stepan, Syngenta's insecticide product line head. "It underwrites our investment to support the growth of Agri-Mek, Avicta, Avid and Proclaim, all key Syngenta brands based on abamectin," he adds.

The use of abamectin-based products is expanding rapidly to replace older insecticides facing regulatory restrictions, Syngenta points out. The company holds registrations for abamectin on fruit, vegetables and cotton in more than 80 countries. The key markets for the insecticide are the US, Japan and South Korea. Abamectin is one of the few off-patent insecticides to generate annual sales of over $100 million (Agrow No 485, p 6).

Back to the top