Located in the Sorrento Mesa vegetation, a greenhouse contains genetically strong rice.
Peter Beetham, the chief executive of Cibus, moved across the green lawn and, with his distinctive Australian accent, shared the story of his initial success in modifying plant DNA.
"I couldn't believe it," he remarked. In the laboratory, he conducted his experiment multiple times before achieving his success — Beetham managed to infiltrate a tobacco plant's gene-editing commands and enhanced its resistance to herbicides.
When Beetham initially introduced this technology in 1999, the industry was primarily focused on genetically modified organisms — a technique that involves introducing external genetic material into a host's DNA. Beetham's approach utilizes a plant's natural DNA repair system to create specific changes that occur naturally in the environment.
Cibus, established in 2001 to bring this platform to market, was a pioneer in what would evolve into the precision crop biotechnology movement.
The chilly night at Cornell University 28 years ago served as the catalyst for his $120 million business.
The company is named Cibus — which means nourishment in Latin — and it has recently stated that it will start distributing genetically modified rice to nations in Latin America, seeking to ultimately gain financial benefits from the research that the San Diego team spent nearly two decades developing.
It took a significant amount of time to introduce their scientific advancements to the marketplace since, during the development of the technology, there was no precedent for the innovative approach. Scientists at Cibus were altering genetic components, and the results were identical to those found in nature.
Unlike CRISPR — which removes parts of DNA and frequently leads to widespread consequences — Cibus's unique rapid trait development system, or RTDS, utilizes a naturally occurring genetic process in the body to modify DNA in order to achieve a more beneficial characteristic.
It works like this:
Your genetic material experiences thousands of breaks each day, which are then repaired following the cell's directives. This San Diego-based company is altering these genetic instructions in plants — modifying crops to possess more beneficial characteristics.
As the cell develops from a seedling into a stalk, it will contain more robust genetic material.
Cibus has modified the DNA of canola and rice to make them resistant to herbicides and diseases.
When you grow a crop, you apply numerous herbicides to manage weeds," said Beetham. "It's common practice. So people frequently mention, 'Not every farmer purchases herbicides.' However, even organic farming employs a different kind of herbicide.
He mentioned a number of lengthy words that conclude with "icide," which agricultural workers apply to crops, aiming for a successful yield.
With Cibus seeds, farmers can reduce expenses and apply fewer chemicals when cultivating more nutritious crops, according to Beetham.
The scientific efforts within the San Diego greenhouse are remarkable — but they required significant funding to achieve.
By the end of 2025, Cibus had a shortfall of $858 million — reflecting the accumulated expenses from over ten years of basic research without any significant commercial product available.
"Cibus has suffered substantial losses and expects to keep experiencing significant losses for several years," the company stated in its SEC filings.
This economic instability is the norm for numerous research and development firms, but Cibus is especially lacking in funds and time.
"If continued or future field trials do not succeed, Cibus might not be able to finish developing productivity trait candidates in a timely manner or at all," the documents state.
Substantial progress has been made in minimizing losses. The net loss decreased by 53% between 2024 and 2025, primarily due to the company's reduction in research and development costs.
In December, Cibus alerted investors to its financial obligations through SEC documents, stating that if the company fails to secure additional funds in the coming months, it could face collapse.
The following month, Cibus secured $22.3 million. This investment will "allow the company to operate until around mid-2027," Beetham stated.
To gain time, Cibus has taken an unexpected route into the world of fragrances.
The company has utilized the same gene-editing technology used for rice and canola to create yeast strains that generate fragrance compounds associated with roses and peaches for "a major consumer goods partner," although the specific company remains undisclosed.
Cibus anticipates beginning to produce actual income from this initiative during the latter part of this year.
Although the company is introducing new scents, it will remain focused on implementing genetically modified crops in the field.
Rice varieties resistant to herbicides are planned to be introduced through seed company collaborations in Colombia and Ecuador by approximately 2027, with Peru and wider regional growth expected next.
The organization is still waiting for regulatory clearance in the United States and Canada.
Cibus will start generating revenue once farmers begin reducing their expenses through the use of Cibus seeds.
According to Beetham, farmers are expected to reduce costs related to herbicides. This savings is divided approximately into three parts between Cibus, the seed company, and the farmer, with Cibus receiving $20 to $30 per acre in royalties.
On a large scale, it's an attractive approach. Reaching that level is the challenging aspect.
There are numerous factors that must be correct during field testing, and even when all of them are considered, unexpected events can still happen.
During an expensive Canadian field test, a farmer believed he had discovered a smart solution for watering his crops: collecting snowmelt to keep them hydrated throughout the season. It functioned precisely as intended, until the geese arrived. Attracted to the new pond, they devoured all the genetically modified plants before Cibus could conduct the necessary evaluations.
"That was the negative aspect of one of our most favorable efforts," remarked Noel Sauer, senior vice president of research at Cibus.
The payment structure for royalties occurs only after the modified seeds have been delivered to the farmers.
There is a reluctance among farmers and within the agricultural sector. It's a 'show me' industry. Show me that it functions. I want to observe it in my field. I want to see that it effectively manages the weeds," Beetham stated. "That's positive, as we are aware this product is effective.
Scientists at Cibus examine their modified traits across multiple generations of seeds, ensuring they possess stronger characteristics that will help farmers reduce costs over time.
The science will endure beyond me," Beetham stated. "I feel like a supervisor. That's why I'm ensuring we carry out the best possible implementation.
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