Lavie Bio Announces Commercial Expansion of Yalos® as Seed-Treatment for Soybean, Following Successful Field Trials

Rhea-AI Summary

Lavie Bio , a subsidiary of Evogene (Nasdaq: EVGN), announced the commercial expansion of its bio-inoculant product, Yalos®, to soybean following successful 2024 field trials in the US. Yalos® demonstrated an average yield increase of over 5% in soybean, enhancing early vigor, biomass, root and shoot development, and nutrient availability. Currently available for spring and winter wheat, durum, and barley in North America, Yalos® will be available for soybean in the 2025 US spring season. This expansion doubles Yalos®' market potential, adding 86 million acres in the US. The trials showed consistent improvements across various soil conditions, supporting Yalos®' effectiveness. Lavie Bio aims for global expansion into Brazil and European markets in the coming years.

Positive

• Yalos® demonstrated an average yield increase of over 5% in soybean.
• Expansion to soybean doubles Yalos®' market potential, adding 86 million acres in the US.
• Successful field trials support Yalos®' effectiveness in various soil conditions.
• Yalos® will be commercially available for soybean in the 2025 US spring season.

Negative

• None.

Insights

Agricultural Market Analyst

The expansion of Yalos® into the soybean market represents a significant commercial opportunity. With soybean acreage of 86 million acres in the US alone, this more than doubles Yalos'® current addressable market. The demonstrated 5% yield increase is particularly noteworthy in the agricultural sector, where even small yield improvements can translate to substantial economic benefits for farmers.

The timing of the commercial launch in spring 2025 aligns well with the seasonal planting cycle and the successful field trials across different varieties and soil conditions suggest strong market potential. The planned expansion into Brazil and European markets could further amplify the product's commercial impact, as Brazil is the world's largest soybean producer. However, market penetration will depend on pricing strategy, competition from existing solutions and regulatory approvals in target markets.

Financial Analyst

For a micro-cap company with a market cap of $9.12M, this product expansion represents a substantial growth catalyst. The soybean seed treatment market is significant and capturing even a small market share could meaningfully impact revenues. The 5% yield improvement provides a clear value proposition for farmers, potentially supporting strong product adoption.

However, investors should consider that commercialization in 2025 means near-term cash requirements for marketing, distribution and scaling production. The company's current market capitalization suggests financial resources, which may necessitate additional funding to fully capitalize on this opportunity. The expansion plans into Brazil and Europe, while promising, will require significant capital investment.

Lavie Bio intends to commence Yalos® sales for soybean in 2025 US spring season  

REHOVOT, Israel, Nov. 12, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Lavie Bio Ltd., a leading ag-biologicals company and a subsidiary of Evogene Ltd. (Nasdaq: EVGN) (TASE: EVGN), today announced the commercial expansion of Yalos® seed-treatment to soybean, following successful field trials performed in 2024 in the US.  Yalos®, Lavie Bio's first commercial bio-inoculant product available in the US and Canada, demonstrated yield increase by more than 5% on average, in soybean.  

 

Yalos® is comprised of two novel microbes that together improve early vigor, biomass, root and shoot development, and nutrient availability. It aims to improve emergence and establishment and increase farm productivity through advanced biological technologies. Currently, Yalos® is sold in North America as a seed-treatment for spring and winter wheat, durum and barley, distributed in Canada by Winfield United and in the US directly by Lavie Bio. As of spring 2025, Lavie Bio intends Yalos® to be commercially available for soybean as well. 

Soybean represents an additional 86 million acres in market potential for Yalos® in the US alone^[1]. This expansion more than doubles the potential market for Yalos® compared to markets in which Lavie Bio already operates.  

Throughout the soybean field trial series, Yalos® has repeatedly demonstrated increased crop vigor, improved establishment and plant health, consistently supporting its effective performance. The trials took place in US soybean growing regions, representing different varieties and soil conditions, showing an average increase in soybean yield of more than 5%, a significant improvement in this crop.   

"The addition of soybean to crops effectively treated by Yalos® is a significant achievement," stated Amit Noam, Lavie Bio's CEO. "We are very pleased with the results and are excited to bring innovation to soybean growers across North America. With Yalos'® winter wheat positive results, on which we announced earlier this year, and with the current promising results in soybean, Lavie Bio is looking forward to a global expansion of Yalos® into Brazil and European markets in the coming years".  

About Lavie Bio Ltd.

Lavie Bio, a subsidiary of Evogene Ltd., aims to improve food quality, sustainability, and agriculture productivity through the introduction of microbiome-based ag-biological products. Lavie Bio utilizes a proprietary computational predictive platform, the BDD platform, powered by Evogene's proprietary MicroBoost AI tech-engine, harnessing the power of big data, artificial intelligence, and advanced informatics, for the discovery, optimization and development of bio-stimulant and bio-pesticide products.

For more information, please visit www.lavie-bio.com.

About Evogene Ltd.

Evogene (Nasdaq: EVGN, TASE: EVGN) is a computational biology company aiming to revolutionize the development of life-science based products by utilizing cutting edge technologies to increase the probability of success while reducing development time and cost. Evogene established three unique tech-engines - MicroBoost AI, ChemPass AI and GeneRator AI – leveraging Big Data and Artificial Intelligence and incorporating deep multidisciplinary understanding in life sciences. Each tech-engine is focused on the discovery and development of products based on one of the following core components: microbes (MicroBoost AI), small molecules (ChemPass AI), and genetic elements (GeneRator AI).

Evogene uses its tech-engines to develop products through subsidiaries and strategic partnerships. Evogene's subsidiaries currently utilize the tech-engines to develop human microbiome-based therapeutics by Biomica, ag-biologicals by Lavie Bio, ag-chemicals by AgPlenus, medical cannabis products by Canonic and castor varieties, for the biofuel and other industries, by Casterra. 

For more information, please visit: www.evogene.com. 

Forward Looking Statements

This press release contains "forward-looking statements" relating to future events. These statements may be identified by words such as "may", "could", "expects", "hopes" "intends", "anticipates", "plans", "believes", "scheduled", "estimates", "demonstrates" or words of similar meaning. For example, Evogene and its subsidiaries are using forward-looking statements in this press release when they discuss the ability of Yalos® to achieve yield increase in soybean and to reduce crop abandonment rates and increase farm productivity. Such statements are based on current expectations, estimates, projections and assumptions, describe opinions about future events, involve certain risks and uncertainties which are difficult to predict and are not guarantees of future performance. Therefore, actual future results, performance or achievements of Evogene and its subsidiaries may differ materially from what is expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements due to a variety of factors, many of which are beyond the control of Evogene and its subsidiaries, including, without limitation, the current war between Israel and Hamas and any worsening of the situation in Israel such as further mobilizations or escalation in the northern border of Israel and those risk factors contained in Evogene's reports filed with the applicable securities authority. In addition, Evogene and its subsidiaries rely, and expect to continue to rely, on third parties to conduct certain activities, such as their field-trials and pre-clinical studies, and if these third parties do not successfully carry out their contractual duties, comply with regulatory requirements or meet expected deadlines, Evogene and its subsidiaries may experience significant delays in the conduct of their activities. Evogene and its subsidiaries disclaim any obligation or commitment to update these forward-looking statements to reflect future events or developments or changes in expectations, estimates, projections and assumptions.

[1] https://www.nass.usda.gov/Publications/Todays_Reports/reports/acrg0624.pdf 

Contact:
ir@evogene.com
Tel: +972-8-9311901

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SOURCE Lavie Bio

FAQ

What is the commercial expansion announced by Lavie Bio?

Lavie Bio announced the commercial expansion of Yalos® as a seed-treatment for soybean following successful 2024 field trials in the US.

When will Yalos® be available for soybean?

Lavie Bio intends to make Yalos® available for soybean in the 2025 US spring season.

What is the yield increase demonstrated by Yalos® in soybean?

Yalos® demonstrated an average yield increase of over 5% in soybean.

What is the market potential for Yalos® in soybean in the US?

The market potential for Yalos® in soybean in the US is an additional 86 million acres.

What are the key benefits of Yalos® for soybean?

Yalos® enhances early vigor, biomass, root and shoot development, and nutrient availability in soybean.