Pesticide Product Registration: Applications for New Active Ingredients (March 2026)

An Assistant Professor at Imperial College London supports the EPA's rigorous evaluation of KNOCKOUT SWD, arguing that the technology offers a precise, environmentally responsible, and biologically contained alternative to conventional insecticides. The commenter highlights the technology's reliance on established Sterile Insect Technique principles and its inherent safety features like species specificity and reversibility.

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) supports the EPA's consideration of the Knockout SWD technology for controlling the invasive spotted wing drosophila. The USDA highlights that this gene-editing approach provides a cost-effective, non-irradiation sterile insect technique (SIT) that could reduce reliance on traditional insecticides.

Professor Luke Alphey of the University of York supports the EPA's registration of the pgSIT technology. He argues that the technology is functionally similar to established sterile insect techniques, poses no credible risk to the environment, and provides a necessary tool for managing invasive pests.

The commenter, identifying as a researcher of emerging biotechnologies, supports a rigorous and science-based EPA review of the KNOCKOUT SWD application. They advocate for the testing and monitoring of self-limiting genetic technologies that offer potential environmental benefits over traditional pesticides.

John Marshall, a mathematical biologist, supports the EPA's review of precision-guided sterile insect technique (pgSIT) for spotted wing Drosophila. He argues that the technology is promising, cost-efficient, and carries reduced risks due to its self-limiting nature and reduced fitness costs compared to traditional methods.

Ryan Phelan of Revive & Restore, a nonprofit conservation organization, supports the registration of KNOCKOUT™ SWD. He argues that this precision-guided Sterile Insect Technique offers a species-specific, environmentally safe alternative to broad-spectrum insecticides and sets a vital regulatory precedent for future genetic biocontrol technologies.

The Breakthrough Institute supports the registration of KNOCKOUT™ SWD, a CRISPR-based sterile insect technique for controlling spotted wing drosophila. They argue that the product is a targeted, self-limiting biocontrol tool that could reduce reliance on broad-spectrum insecticides and advocate for a transparent, risk-proportionate regulatory review.

Mike Omeg, a commercial cherry grower and entomologist, supports the registration of Agragene's KNOCKOUT SWD technology to manage the invasive spotted wing drosophila pest. He argues that the technology offers a species-specific, self-limiting, and effective alternative to broad-spectrum insecticides while preserving natural enemies and managing resistance.

Lisa Wasko DeVetter, a professor at Washington State University, supports the registration and commercial deployment of the KNOCKOUT-SWD gene-edited technology. She argues that this innovation provides a necessary, targeted method to manage the invasive spotted-wing drosophila pest while reducing the growers' reliance on costly and potentially harmful chemical insecticides.

Dr. Omar S. Akbari, a professor at UC San Diego and co-founder of Agragene, supports the registration of KNOCKOUT™ SWD. He argues that the technology is a highly targeted, self-limiting, and environmentally responsible biological control tool that builds upon the established Sterile Insect Technique.