Biotalys (Euronext – BTLS), an Agricultural Technology (AgTech) company protecting crops and food with protein-based biocontrol solutions, and Olon, a world-leading contract development and manufacturing organization, today announced a long-term strategic partnership for the manufacturing of Biotalys’ biocontrol products. The partnership is driven by the common vision of transforming food protection with unique protein-based biocontrol solutions and secures the global supply of Biotalys’ newly developed biofungicide, Evoca™*, planned for market introduction in the United States in the second half of 2022 – pending regulatory approval.  

Evoca, the first protein-based biocontrol in the Biotalys pipeline, aims to provide fruit and vegetable growers with a new rotation partner in integrated pest management (IPM) programs. It helps control diseases such as Botrytis and powdery mildew, thus reducing the dependency on chemical pesticides with corresponding residues in harvested produce while offering a distinctive new tool to manage pathogen resistance development.

Under the partnership, Olon will produce the active ingredient of Evoca at its world-class biotech manufacturing sites in Capua and Settimo Torinese (Italy), two centers of excellence in the microbial fermentation field meeting the highest quality standards. Relying on experience gained over more than 50 years, Olon’s expertise includes extensive know-how of microbial fermentation, one of the most eco-friendly and sustainable technologies capable of significantly reducing the overall environmental impact.

In Capua, Olon’s fermentation facility operates a range of bioreactors of up to 35m³, while the facility in Settimo Torinese envisages production in batches of up to 112m³ – far above the capacity reached until now for Biotalys’ products. This upscaling therefore signifies a major step forward in terms of production efficiency and scalability of protein-based biocontrols. Olon will both handle the fermentation process of the products developed by Biotalys in its laboratories in Ghent and purify them into the technical intermediate which will then be formulated by an external provider to create the end products.

“Biotalys’ protein-based biocontrols are a promising new class of products to help growers protect their crops in an environmentally sustainable way,” said Paolo Tubertini, CEO of Olon.“They perfectly match with our long-term plan that focuses on novel biotech solutions and, consequently, the expansion of our capacity to support innovative biotech companies to accelerate the development of new products in a more sustainable way. According to this strategy we offer one the biggest platform of microbial fermentation production globally. It means the application of sustainable biotechnology to industrialization.”

Patrice Sellès, CEO of Biotalys, stated: “Olon is a world leader in the sustainable production of proteins, so we are very excited to partner with them for the manufacturing of our protein-based solutions, beginning with our first biofungicide Evoca. With its state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities and processes, Olon will be able to provide us with the quantity of product we need for the planned market calibration, while ensuring it meets all regulatory, quality and safety specifications. Upon formulation, the end product will give growers a new tool to use in integrated pest management programs to fight devastating fungal diseases in many fruits and vegetables.”

Biotalys submitted Evoca for registration to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in the United States in December 2020. Following the submission, Biotalys passed both the provided completeness check and the preliminary technical screening. The company expects to receive EPA approval in H2 2022. Biotalys also submitted for approval in California in April 2021, as this State performs its own in-depth review. In the European Union, Biotalys received confirmation from the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) and the College for approval of crop protection products and biocides (Ctgb) that the registration dossier submitted in March 2021 for the active substance of Evoca is admissible for review.

* Evoca™: Pending Registration. This product is not currently registered for sale or use in the United States, the European Union, or elsewhere and is not being offered for sale.