Formerly doing business as Venomix, Inc, in 2009 the name of the firm was changed to Vestaron Corporation. With R&D facility in Kalamazoo MI, and headquartered in Durham, NC., the company develops and manufactures insecticides using natural peptides from spiders -- peptides are potent insecticides, yet are environmentally benign, making them ideally suited for the environmentally conscious, twenty-first century. Over 50 unique insecticidal spider peptides with novel sites of action have been identified and are being exploited. With the patented technology exclusively licensed to Vestaron, the company has three initial spider peptides under development. All three are highly effective against insects and related pests and all are harmless to non-target species, including humans. Because Vestaron insecticides work through active sites that are different and distinct from current chemical pesticides, they bypass the existing problems of insect resistance and cross-reactivity. The global market for Vestaron's insecticides is in excess of $15 billion. Target markets include agriculture, animal health and specialty non-crop uses such as household insects and commercial pest control. Because spider peptides have broad insecticidal properties, each product developed by Vestaron will likely have applications in more than one market segment. This will greatly expand the market potential for Vestaron products. The company serves various markets, including agriculture; animal health; and specialty non-crop uses, such as household insects and commercial pest control with products marketed and sold directly in selected agricultural markets
