Agricultural Biotechnology · IP Licensing

A molecular switch.
Measurable crop gains.

AgriVitae licenses the DHS platform to seed companies and agricultural institutions worldwide — delivering validated improvements in shelf life, post-harvest resilience, and yield. We license. You commercialize.

Explore the platform Partner with us
DHS
Deoxyhypusine Synthase
Endogenous enzyme; expression level controls downstream pathway
eIF5A
Hypusination of eIF5A
Post-translational modification governing translation of key proteins
→
Cell fate regulation
Tunable control of growth, senescence & stress response pathways
✓
Validated phenotypes
Shelf life · post-harvest decay · grain size — field-confirmed

DHS → eIF5A hypusination pathway

Why AgriVitae

Precision technology.
Practical licensing.

Modern agriculture demands faster routes from discovery to commercial field. AgriVitae closes that gap with validated science, clear IP, and a licensing model designed for broad adoption.

Proven technology

Our DHS platform controls plant cell fate via hypusine modification of eIF5A — a molecular switch validated across major crop systems with demonstrated phenotypic gains in tomato, banana, and rice.

Licensing-first model

We partner with seed companies and institutions, not compete with them. Non-exclusive access, modest technology fees, no royalties, no benchmark payments, no maintenance obligations — designed for rapid integration.

Clear IP position

AgriVitae's DHS platform builds on decades of foundational research and prior commercial development. The current patent estate reflects the latest generation of precision gene-editing applications, with U.S. utility and PCT filings advancing in 2026. Patent Pending.

The DHS Platform

Precision molecular control
across crop systems

The DHS protein regulates eIF5A hypusination — a post-translational modification governing plant cell fate, growth, and stress response. By modulating DHS expression, we tune phenotypically relevant pathways without wholesale genome rewiring.

How it works

eIF5A is an essential translation factor present in all plants. Its hypusination — catalyzed by DHS — governs translation of proteins critical for cell elongation, stress tolerance, and organ development. Controlling DHS levels controls the availability of hypusinated eIF5A, thereby tuning growth and senescence pathways with precision.

This approach differs fundamentally from conventional trait stacking. Rather than introducing new genes, we optimize an endogenous regulatory bottleneck already present in every plant genome. The result: clean phenotypes with minimal off-target effects and straightforward regulatory positioning.

Variants have been engineered using precision CRISPR gene editing. Most applications fall outside conventional GMO definitions in major jurisdictions, depending on crop system and regulatory interpretation.

Tomato

Extended shelf life

  • Delayed ripening, reduced senescence
  • Postharvest shelf life extended more than 3-fold in greenhouse studies
  • Directly addresses supply-chain losses in global distribution
  • Validated in controlled greenhouse conditions

Banana

Reduced post-harvest decay

  • Enhanced tolerance to necrotrophic fungal pathogens
  • Reduced post-harvest decay demonstrated in field trials
  • Critical for smallholder producers and export value chains
  • Validated in controlled field studies

Rice

Increased grain size

  • Larger kernel dimensions demonstrated in laboratory studies
  • Initial validation in japonica rice; broader subspecies applicability under investigation
  • High relevance to food security and crop economics
  • Active target for commercial development partnerships
Regulatory clarity

DHS variants avoid GMO classification in most major jurisdictions, considerably streamlining regulatory approval timelines.

Seamless breeding integration

DHS traits integrate into existing programs and seed production infrastructure — no new cultivation requirements.

Non-exclusive access

We license to multiple seed companies per crop system, enabling rapid market entry without competitive exclusivity.

Adoption-oriented economics

Modest technology license fee, small commercialization fee. No royalties. No benchmark payments. No maintenance. Designed for broad commercial uptake.

Science & Partnerships

Institutional depth.
On-ground reach.

All phenotypes presented here are supported by experimental data from greenhouse studies, laboratory research, or field trials. Validation contexts vary by crop and are described accordingly. We do not make claims without supporting data.

Licensees

Hudson River · Wageningen, Netherlands

Licensee under the AgriVitae DHS gene-editing platform. Hudson River is a leading plant breeding innovation company applying the DHS technology to vegetable and specialty crops.

Intellectual property position — Patent Pending

Foundational researchAgriVitae's DHS platform builds on decades of foundational research and prior commercial development by its founders, including prior patent estates in DHS-mediated crop improvement.
Current patent estateThe current filing generation covers precision gene-editing applications of the DHS gene across 60+ plant species. U.S. utility and PCT applications — including Brazil — are advancing in 2026.
IP strategyWe incorporate intellectual property strategy into the development of our technology platform.
Licensing termsThe Company offers flexible licensing arrangements tailored to the needs of commercial partners.

Bhutan & Eastern Himalayan engagement

In 2026, AgriVitae conducted high-level institutional meetings in Bhutan, engaging with the Ministry of Agriculture & Livestock and the Agricultural Research and Development Centre (ARDC Bajo). This engagement reflects our long-term commitment to South Asian crop diversity as a platform for trait discovery.

Let's partner

Ready to license
the DHS platform?

We work with seed companies, breeding programs, agricultural institutions, research organizations, and development agencies. If you are exploring trait licensing or regional partnerships in South and Southeast Asia, we would like to hear from you.

Get in touch

Or email directly: info@agrivitae.com
AgriVitae LLC · San Diego, California

JF

Dr. Jerry Feitelson

Co-Founder & CEO · AgriVitae LLC

Forty years in plant biotechnology spanning gene discovery, regulatory strategy, and international partnership development. Formerly at Mycogen Corporation (Bt trait development, acquired by Dow AgroSciences) and Agribody Technologies, Inc. (DHS platform development, acquired 2021). Active collaborations with leading agricultural research institutions in North America, South Asia, and the Eastern Himalayas. AgriVitae was founded to bring the DHS platform to global commercial scale.