Lavie Bio Announces Commercial Expansion of Yalos™ to Winter Wheat

Rehovot, Israel (July 2, 2024) - Lavie Bio Ltd.,a leading ag-biologicals company and a subsidiary of Evogene Ltd. (Nasdaq: EVGN, TASE: EVGN), is pleased to announce the commercial expansion of its bio-inoculant product, Yalos™, to winter wheat, following successful trials. This expansion effectively doubles the potential market for Yalos™ compared to markets in which Lavie Bio already operates. Winter wheat growers across the US will have access to Yalos™ for the upcoming 2024-2025 season.

Winter wheat is one of the crucial crops in North America and globally, significantly contributing to the agricultural economy and food supply. The US is expected to produce about 1.28 billion bushels in 2024, with a market value, according to Lavie Bio’s estimation, between $5-$10 billion annually. Introducing Yalos™ to this market offers substantial potential to capture market share by enhancing crop productivity and sustainability. To date, Lavie Bio has focused on the spring wheat market, along with durum and barley, which together form a smaller market compared to winter wheat.

During the successful field trials, Yalos™ has demonstrated enhanced early vigor, biomass, root and shoot development, nutrient availability, and feed quality in winter wheat. Yalos™ aims to reduce crop abandonment rates and increase farm productivity through advanced biological technologies.

In addition, Lavie Bio is expecting to expand Yalos™ into other key crops, such as soybean and canola, with ongoing field trials in North America and an expected commercial launch in 2025. The US soybean market size is estimated by Lavie Bio at approximately $56.2 billion in 2024.

"We are thrilled to offer Yalos™ to winter wheat growers," said Amit Noam, CEO of Lavie Bio. "Yalos™ addresses key growth challenges and enhances plant health and yield. Our strategy consistently brings new innovative ag-biological products to the market, while expanding existing products to more crops and regions. This expansion is part of our plan for Yalos™ to become a leading solution for growers in all major field crops, reinforcing our commitment to advancing agricultural productivity and sustainability on a global scale."

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 probability of success while reducing development time and cost. Evogene established three unique technological engines – MicroBoost AI, ChemPass AI and GeneRator AI – leveraging Big Data and Artificial Intelligence and incorporating deep multidisciplinary understanding in life sciences. Each technological 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 technological engines to develop products through subsidiaries and with strategic partners. Currently, Evogene’s main subsidiaries utilize the technological engines to develop human microbiome-based therapeutics by Biomica Ltd., ag-chemicals by AgPlenus Ltd. and ag-biologicals by Lavie Bio Ltd.

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