Trends in insecticide discovery: A review, analysis and perspective

Area of Science:

• Agricultural Science
• Entomology
• Chemical Biology

Background:

• Growing insecticide resistance and climate change necessitate novel pest control solutions.
• Increased R&D costs and stringent regulations drive consolidation in agrochemical companies.
• Existing insecticide and acaricide options face limitations, demanding new product development.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze the time required for the initial discovery and development of new insect control agents.
• To identify trends in the timelines for discovering novel insecticide molecules.
• To understand the duration from project initiation to the identification of a potential commercial insecticide.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of historical data on insecticide discovery projects.
• Categorization of discovery approaches (e.g., competitor-inspired, natural product-based).
• Examination of project timelines across different geographical regions (Japan, US, Europe).

Main Results:

• 70% of projects required 2-5 years for molecule discovery, with an average of 4 years.
• 19% of projects took 6-8 years to discover the insect control agent.
• Discovery timelines are consistent across various approaches and company locations.
• A trend indicates that newer insecticide molecules require longer discovery periods, approaching 5 years.

Conclusions:

• The initial discovery phase for new insecticides averages approximately four years.
• While consistent across methods, newer insecticide development timelines are lengthening.
• The trend towards longer discovery times for novel insecticides highlights ongoing challenges in pest control innovation.