Invasive Species Corporation Unveils Zequanox® 2.0, Opens Field Demonstrations Against Zebra, Quagga and Golden Mussels

Two new formulations make proven biological mussel control easier to use and more cost effective

DAVIS, CA, UNITED STATES, October 14, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ — Invasive Species Corporation (ISC) today announces Zequanox 2.0, next generation biological control for invasive mussels, and is inviting partners to test it in the field. Two new formulations, water-dispersible granules and sinkable, slow-release tablets, make Zequanox easier to use, more cost effective and ready for larger scale treatment.

“The thinking on invasive mussels has changed,” said Amit Vasavada, Chief Science Officer of Invasive Species Corporation. “Once mussels are established in a large lake or river, eradication is rarely realistic. The goal now is smart management: protecting critical habitat for endangered species such as the native white fish population in Lake Michigan, keeping water infrastructure running, and stopping mussels from becoming permanently established in newly infested waters.”

“Zequanox 2.0 was designed for exactly that job. It addresses the problems that have held back management efforts in the past: products that were hard to handle and mix, difficult to deliver to the bottom where mussels live, and too costly to use at scale. Now managers can act early, target treatment precisely and protect what matters most.”

Zebra and quagga mussels have caused billions of dollars in damage since reaching the Great Lakes in the 1980s, clogging intake pipes at power plants, water supply plants and factories. Great Lakes water users alone spend hundreds of millions of dollars a year on damage and control. And the mussels are still spreading, now into the western US and Canada, degrading lakes and rivers and choking water infrastructure as they go.

Golden mussels (Limnoperna fortunei) are the newest threat, and they are moving fast through California. First detected near the Port of Stockton in October 2024, they have already spread more than 500 miles through the state’s waterways, from San Diego County to the Port of West Sacramento, where the northernmost detection was confirmed on June 25, 2026. Several water districts have declared emergencies. Delta farmers face an estimated $35 million or more to replace clogged siphons, pump stations and drainage pipes, and the Association of California Water Agencies estimates statewide management could ultimately cost $300 million to $500 million.

Zequanox is a biological molluscicide made from the bacterium Pseudomonas fluorescens (CL145A). Zequanox 2.0 uses the same EPA-registered active ingredient in two new, easier-to-use formats:
• Water-dispersible granules (WDG): no pre-mixing needed; they dissolve immediately. Built for easy handling and dispersion in contained systems, canals and managed water infrastructure.
• Sinkable, slow-release tablets: spread like grass seed, they sink to the bottom and dissolve slowly, delivering treatment directly to adult and veliger mussel colonies.
Target settings include open-water plots, marinas, reservoirs, tanks, pipelines, intakes, irrigation systems and pumping facilities.

Zequanox 2.0 WDG and tablet formulations are available now for field trials, and ISC is in the process of submitting the EPA registration package. Trials must comply with applicable permits and regulations and be under one acre or conducted under an EPA Experimental Use Permit (EUP).

Zequanox has more than 10 years of proven zebra and quagga mussel control. Published lab and field research on earlier formulations shows mortality comparable to higher-risk chemical treatments, with much shorter treatment times. Against golden mussels, ISC’s lab studies show 100% mortality, at longer treatment times than for zebra and quagga but still much shorter than chemical treatments. Next, ISC team has planned outdoor field trials measuring mortality, dose and exposure requirements, product dissolution and water-quality effects.

ISC is looking for partners to help design and run Zequanox 2.0 demonstrations and generate independent field data. Aquatic invasive species (AIS) management programs, state and federal agencies, researchers and water operators across the Great Lakes, the Mississippi River Basin, California and beyond are invited to take part.

Demonstration options include:
• Open-water evaluations: localized treatment of established adult and veliger colonies, with or without containment
• Closed-system evaluations: tanks, pipelines, intakes and other managed infrastructure
• Comparative studies: Zequanox 2.0 versus copper and other control technologies
• Monitoring partnerships: mortality, water quality, treatment distribution and non-target effects
ISC works with each partner to select a site, set objectives, build a monitoring protocol, coordinate permits, run the demonstration and review the results.

To get involved, contact ISC for a technical briefing package covering mode of action and approved uses, treatment options, published research on effectiveness and environmental safety, and dosing, mixing and monitoring guidance.

About the Invasive Species Corporation
ISC discovers, develops and deploys bio-based solutions to control invasive species in water and agriculture. Invasive species have caused more than $1 trillion in damage – more than $420 billion annually – and are a top driver of the planet’s rapid loss of biodiversity. ISC’s vision is to regenerate the planet with nature-positive solutions. Its microbial natural product discovery platform has already produced candidates to control toxic algae, weeds, sea lice on salmon and other crustacean pests.

Learn more at www.invasivespeciescorporation.com

Joe Hogan
Invasive Species Corporation
+1 303-493-1482
joseph@invasivespeciescorporation.com

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