Eden Research applies for Ecovelex approval in the UK

Eden Research plc (AIM: EDEN; OTCQB: EDNSF), the AIM-quoted company focused on sustainable biopesticides and plastic-free formulation technology for use in the global crop protection, animal health and consumer products industries, announces that it has applied for the authorisation of Ecovelex™ in its home country, the United Kingdom, following the recent application for authorisation in the European Union.

Developed by Corteva Agriscience and Eden over the past three years, Ecovelex represents a new entrant into the seed treatment market and is intended to replace conventional chemicals banned in the EU and UK. It has been developed to tackle crop destruction caused by birds, a major cause of losses in maize and other crops.

Ecovelex works by affecting the bird's olfactory system, creating an unpleasant taste or odour that repels the birds, leaving the seeds safely intact and the birds unaffected and free to find alternative food sources.  The product is based on Eden's plant-derived chemistry and formulated using the Company's Sustaine^® microencapsulation system, supporting farmers as they strive to meet consumer and regulator demands for more sustainable agriculture.

Sean Smith, CEO of Eden Research plc, said:

"Following our three-year collaborative development efforts with Corteva, we are pleased to be pursuing regulatory clearance in our home country.  I am particularly proud of our Oxfordshire-based team that led the technical development of Ecovelex, and we can truly say that this is a home-grown solution to a problem that impacts farmers in the UK and elsewhere every year.  Eden's collaboration with Corteva Agriscience over the past several years has been highly productive, and I am pleased to see the first commercial benefits from these activities within reach.

In late May 2023, Eden submitted the regulatory dossier and application to Austria, who will act as the interzonal rapporteur member state on behalf of the EU. Review and authorisation can take between 18 and 24 months, with each EU member state then able to ratify the authorisation or require additional information before granting local authorisations.  It is anticipated that review and eventual authorisation in the UK will take a similar amount of time, though it should be noted that the pace of regulatory actions is controlled by the relevant authorities with whom Eden will work to ensure that we are able to bring our effective, sustainable solution to the aid of farmers affected by bird damage to their crops as quickly as possible."

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