Bayer moves into blockbuster launch phase as seed and crop protection pipeline advances

Bayer is putting into motion its stated goal of bringing 10 blockbuster products to market within a decade, rolling out major Crop Science innovations across key farming regions worldwide. The company defines a blockbuster as a product expected to reach peak sales potential of at least 500 million euros. Two products, the Plenexos insecticide and the Preceon Smart Corn System, are already being commercialized. In soybeans, Vyconic is set to launch next year in the US and Canada, while Intacta 5+ is expected to reach Brazilian growers for the 2027/2028 growing season.

Rodrigo Santos, a member of Bayer AG’s Board of Management and head of the Crop Science division, said the company is following through on commitments to bring farmers a new wave of transformative products. He said combining innovation across seed and crop protection lets Bayer offer whole-farm solutions that help growers manage risk, capture more yield and get better returns on investment. He described Bayer’s strategy as deliberately tailored to each business segment, accounting for differing growth patterns, farmer needs, and regional and competitive conditions, and said the company’s scale in running these segments together gives it an edge in what it can develop and how it serves growers.

The Preceon Smart Corn System, a digitally connected short-stature corn platform, is already generating value on farms in Mexico, Italy, Spain and the US, with a commercial launch in Argentina beginning this year. It offers growers a combination of advantages, including better resilience against extreme weather, the flexibility to plant at higher densities, easier compatibility with standard equipment throughout the season, and a larger root system, all aimed at lowering agronomic risk while boosting yield potential and returns. Bayer is targeting 26 million acres of market penetration for the system by 2035. Preceon also incorporates digital tools through FieldView, which functions not just as a sales platform but as a way for farmers and their agronomic advisors to collaborate and get the most agronomic and economic value out of the system.

Plenexos, a new insecticide aimed at a wide range of sucking pests, has launched in Colombia, with Mexico, Brazil and the US to follow. Bayer says the product lets farmers use up to 75% less active ingredient than competing products while still controlling pests, which also helps protect pollinators, beneficial insects and other non-target species. Aimed primarily at soy, cotton, fruit and vegetable growers, Plenexos is expected to hit peak sales potential of 500 million euros by the mid-2030s.

Vyconic will be the industry’s first soybean trait stack offering tolerance to five herbicides, giving growers more options for weed control and better tools against increasingly resistant weeds. Because it’s built on Bayer’s advanced breeding pipeline, Vyconic will debut in high-performing varieties already shown to boost yield by more than two bushels per acre, letting farmers capture both greater genetic yield potential and more flexible weed control sooner. Bayer expects strong uptake of Vyconic, followed by the launch of HT5, and is aiming to reclaim trait leadership in North America by 2032. Intacta 5+ will bring the same five herbicide tolerances to Brazilian growers along with new insect protection traits built specifically for that market. Combined, these soy traits and the next generation of herbicide tolerance and insect protection technology are projected to reach more than 3 billion euros in peak sales potential.

Other blockbusters Bayer expects to bring to market before the decade ends include a fourth-generation corn rootworm protection product and the herbicide Icafolin, which the company is targeting for 750 million euros in sales potential by the mid-2030s. Together, the 10 products are meant to address major challenges facing farmers and are expected to be a significant driver of Bayer’s growth over the next several years.

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Bayer, Phase 3 trial, pipeline advances