Biotalys: Provider of unique protein-based biocontrol solutions

Based in the biotech cluster in Ghent, Belgium, Biotalys develops cutting-edge protein-based biocontrol solutions to protect crops against pests and diseases, while keeping the environment, farmer and consumer safe. It has recently been reported that their first biofungicide Evoca™ showed strong performance in independent efficacy field trials. Biotalys has submitted Evoca™ registration to the US EPA, and is now on track to launch the product in the country in 2022.

In this AgroPages interview, Patrice Sellès, the CEO at Biotalys, introduces the company, their proprietary technologies and business development. He also shares his views on the challenges that biopesticide companies face today.

1. Could you please introduce Biotalys to us?

Biotalys (Euronext Brussels: BTLS) is an Agricultural Technology (AgTech) company focused on addressing food protection challenges with proprietary protein-based biocontrol solutions and aiming to provide alternatives to conventional chemical pesticides for a more sustainable and safer food supply. Biotalys’ ambition is to address three core challenges facing global food production today: the 1.6 billion tons of global food wasted every year, the potential effects of conventional chemical pesticides on biodiversity and food safety, and the sustainable food production from farm to fork. 

Biotalys’ approach is powered by its AGROBODY Foundry™ platform, that has the potential to generate a wealth of biocontrol innovations, which aim to combine conventional chemical-like performance with the clean safety profile of biologicals, faster and at lower development costs to conventional chemical approaches. Biotalys’ AGROBODY Foundry™ platform has been designed by Biotalys to enable the identification of targeted small antibody-derived proteins to address major food pests and diseases. 

Biotalys’ product candidates have distinctive modes of action as compared to existing food protection products, allowing control of targeted pests and diseases when used in the framework of an integrated pest management program (“IPM”). Biotalys’ product candidates, also named AGROBODY™ biocontrols, are obtained by simple, industry standard fermentation and are formulated to match the requirements of the target markets. To date, Biotalys has built a strong and diverse pipeline of seven product candidates that aim to address a wide range of crop pests and diseases targeting growing market segments and significant unmet needs such as the scarcity of existing solutions, the resistance building of pests and diseases or the regulatory pressure limiting the application of chemical solutions.

Biotalys’ AGROBODY™ biocontrols are readily biodegradable and aim at protecting our food while not impacting our soils, environment and health.

Biotalys’ vision is to create an integrated biological food protection leader and to become a technology platform-based biocontrol company with end-to-end capabilities in discovery, development, and commercialization. Biotalys is supported by a diverse team of industry experts and renowned scientists who are dedicated to transform conventional farming approaches by bringing a new paradigm of food production and protection that will shape the future of sustainable and safe food supply.

2. Biotalys recently announced the strong performance of its first protein-based biofungicide Evoca™. Would you like to talk about the advantages or market potential of this product?

Evoca™ is Biotalys’ first antibody-derived protein-based biofungicide aimed at providing fruit and vegetable growers with a new rotation partner in integrated pest management programs to help control devastating fungal diseases such as Botrytis and powdery mildew, reducing dependency on chemical pesticides and corresponding residues in harvested produce and offering a distinctive new tool to manage pathogen resistance development.

Evoca™ performance and key features have been assessed in more than 450 field trials over multiple seasons under different environmental conditions and geographies during the development phase. The product performed strongly in independent efficacy field trials conducted by a number of highly reputed public institutes in the United States in 2021.

Biotalys submitted Evoca™ in December 2020 to the EPA and in April 2021 to the California Department of Pesticide Registration in the United States for approval. The registration dossier has also been submitted for EU registration approval in the March 2021.

Following US registration, which is currently expected for the second half of 2022, Biotalys intends for Evoca™ to be a pilot product and a market calibration for its product candidates in multiple US states as well as in Europe. The main purpose of the Evoca™ market calibration will be to demonstrate the competitive features of the product candidates generated through the AGROBODY Foundry™ platform, such as consistency and efficacy against targeted pests in IPM programs, protection of yield in targeted crops, shelf-life extension, reduction of chemical residues in the fresh produces, as well as the product candidates’ natural safety in a commercial environment. Biotalys also intends to register all its future products with selected local regulatory authorities, and expects, including as a consequence of the market calibration of Evoca™, to benefit from fast-track registrations in different target markets. 

At first, Evoca™ will be introduced to the market through a partnership or with local distributors in the United States, for selected highest value crops such as covered crops, strawberries and grapes. It is Biotalys’ intention to focus on higher value markets in the first years of the commercialization of its product candidates, considering that growers in these segments spend more pay higher prices for the inputs used (in line with the higher values of their crops). Following the Evoca™ market calibration, Biotalys intends to commercialize the next generation of its product candidates in additional fruit and vegetable markets as well as in different geographies such as Europe, Brazil and Japan. It is also Biotalys’ goal to commercialize its product candidates through distribution agreements or partnerships in specific and highly commoditized markets and on its own where it believes more value can be captured with a small and dedicated team.

3. Biotalys is a Belgian company and now also operates in the United States. Why did you choose the US to expand the business?

Biotalys decided to first incorporate in the US in 2019 (North Carolina) mostly because we were planning to have the US as our first market with the rapid development of alternative technologies to chemical pesticides as well as the straightforward regulatory process. With our European presence and the evolution of the regulatory environment, we believe the EU Green Deal will be an opportunity for companies like Biotalys to strengthen their position on the demanding market. As a young company, we believe focus on US and EU markets will help us to build credibility and to pave the way to broader geographies and extended pipeline of future products.

4. Do you consider selling your biocontrol solutions in emerging markets such as China or countries in Latin America, and why?

We believe the demand for alternatives to chemical pesticides with a high level of consistency, a strong efficacy, convenient and reliable for growers is a worldwide need and we will be ready to focus on the most interesting markets in time, including China and South America. China is the biggest producer of F&V in the world and recently demonstrated the willingness to adopt new agricultural practices towards increased sustainability. Latin American countries such as Chile and Brazil are also a premium provider of counter season F&V for Europe and as such are also looking for novel alternatives to provide insurance for the growers to reach top produce quality without compromising on the sustainability. 

5. What criteria in your view make a good distributor for your products?

Another element that is guiding our stepwise marketing approach is the regulatory framework in the different countries where our future products might be used. We need to carefully review the benefits of penetrating in a new country or geography versus the time and the investment required. This is how a good distributor could be of help for a company like Biotalys to support the optimization of our resources and guide us through a regulatory framework that can be complex. In addition, we are definitively looking for distribution partners who have a great experience in bringing biocontrols to the market and will understand the uniqueness of our technology and support the best positioning into the growers IPMs maximizing the value creation for our end users. 

6. What are the main challenges that biopesticide companies face today? How does Biotalys cope with them?

Biocontrol companies face a number of challenges, of which the following are important ones in our field that I believe would apply independently from the geographical area:

• Recruit, retain and reward extraordinary talents. The success of our companies is the success of the team beyond the technology and the performance.

• Market access. While the chemical crop protection industry is strongly consolidated, the biocontrol industry is very fragmented and lacks the size to gain market access, presence and recognition.

• Access to long term investors and funding. Sustainability in agriculture will remain a key topic for many years to come, we need wise long term investors who identify the opportunity and remain supportive until key value inflection points within our business.

For Biotalys, we have the chance to be supported by long term committed investors, previously as a private company and now as a public company since our listing on the Euronext Brussels stock exchange in July 2021. We are constantly looking for like minded partners for the distribution of our product and future pipeline, for early stage collaboration, and for technology access. As we realize we will greatly improve our chances of success by working collaboratively in our biocontrol segment, we are constantly looking for exceptional partners to accelerate the value creation for our organization and for the industry as a whole.