Biotalys NV, a food and crop protection company, has submitted its first protein-based biocontrol, Evoca, to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for approval. Pending EPA registration, this biocontrol will offer U.S. fruit and vegetable growers a new way to combat major diseases to maximize yields and extend the shelf life after harvest of produce with substantially lower residues.
“While Evoca targets diseases like Botrytis cinerea and powdery mildew, we are leveraging the flexibility of our technology platform to advance a broad pipeline of products with new modes of action that will safely and reliably address key crop pests and diseases across the food value chain,” commented Luc Maertens, COO of Biotalys.
Evoca will help growers effectively control key pathogens in the field, as well as in the food value chain to protect fruits and vegetables post harvest, extending shelf life and reducing decay and food loss. With its new mode of action and favourable safety profile, Evoca provides growers with additional rotational options to manage resistance in a more sustainable way.
The submission follows Biotalys’ successful completion of an extensive field product development program and regulatory studies on Evoca. More than 200 field and greenhouse trials globally demonstrated high consistency in effective control of key pathogens in fruit and vegetables crops. With this submission and pending regulatory approvals, Biotalys is on track to introduce Evoca to select states in the U.S. market in late 2022.
Biotalys will proceed with international registrations on its own, maintaining full ownership of all rights. Aligned with the go-to-market strategy for Evoca, the submission in the United States will be followed by a submission in the European Union. Major agricultural markets in Latin America and Asia are in scope for future registrations.
