Biotalys

This interview details Biotalys, a Biotechnology Research company based in Belgium. The interview is with Toon Musschoot, Head of Investor Relations and Communications at Biotalys.

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What is the origin story of Biotalys?

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Biotalys was founded in 2013 as a spin-off from the VIB (Flanders Institute for Biotechnology) and is based in the biotech cluster in Ghent (Belgium). We are focused on developing new biocontrols to protect crops against pests and diseases. The company is listed on Euronext Brussels since July 2021. We currently work with 70 people, mainly in Ghent, Belgium where our headquarter and laboratories are located. Around 50 of our colleagues are scientists, discovering new molecules and developing our product pipeline. Our CEO is based in North Carolina, US.

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Originally, we wanted to use antibodies to improve the performance of existing crop protection products. Besides this main activity, we also had a ‘Friday afternoon’ project, where we selected antibodies that would not only adhere to a fungus but would also kill fungi. And so it happened, which ultimately led to the key focus of Biotalys today: transform crop protection with unique protein-based biocontrol solutions. At this stage, we focus mainly on fruits and vegetables, but our technology has the potential to develop products for broader crops.

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What are some of the biggest challenges facing Biotalys in the future? 

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One of the key challenges is to obtain timely approval from the regulatory authorities for our products. Currently, this takes a long time but we believe our products are safe, easy to use, and have the potential to  significantly help farmers protect their yields and to contribute to sustainable agriculture.

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Another important challenge we are working on is lowering the costs of production of our products so farmers can afford it. As we manufacture these through fermentation, the current production costs are still high but we are making improvements, both internally and with partners.

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What is unique about Biotalys compared to competitors? 

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Our products are protein-based. Proteins are the most common and diverse group of biological substances and are central compounds necessary for life. Due to their small size and specific structure and properties, our proteins are ideal to develop the next generation of innovative biocontrol products. They have multiple advantages making them a highly effective alternative to conventional chemical products. At the same time, they safeguard the health of both our food and our environment.

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Using our proprietary technology, the AGROBODY Foundry™ platform, we aim to develop products that help reduce agriculture’s environmental footprint, optimize the use of natural resources, and give consumers healthy and safe choices. We are confident that our products will continue to demonstrate a biological-like clean safety profile, due to their intrinsic rapid biodegradability, while providing conventional chemical-like performance and consistency when used as per label recommendation in an integrated pest management (IPM) program. This addresses a key shortcoming of most biological food protection products that are typically less consistent and effective than conventional chemical ones.

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We also believe our proprietary technology platform can identify novel modes of action at competitive costs in an industry where conventional chemical innovation has slowed substantially over the last decade and where biological products do not usually offer a clear and single mode of action. Finally, we expect to produce our product candidates at scale through fermentation with chemical-like quality control and reach manufacturing efficiency to compete in most food protection markets in the long term.

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What are some other relevant metrics of the company (growing area size, production quantity, team size, etc.)?

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As our products are not yet approved by the authorities, we can’t sell them yet. We have produced the first couple of batches of EVOCA™, a biofungicide against botrytis and powdery mildew in grapes and other high-value fruits, to be able to meet the demand upon regulatory approval.  

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Biotalys has demonstrated that wine grape juice quality, vinification or wine characteristics exhibited no differences for EVOCA-treated vineyards when compared to non-EVOCA treated vineyards. Samples from Chardonnay, Pinot Gris, Pinot Noir, and Merlot vineyards treated with EVOCA at various stages of the grape lifecycle were subjected to nearly 50 different analytical laboratory analyses in accordance with industry standards. These results were jointly reviewed and validated by the Manager of Technical, Environmental, and International Affairs and the Analytical Lab Manager of a major California wine producer, thus demonstrating Biotalys’ ability to offer the wine industry an innovative new solution that protects vineyards while ensuring the quality of the fresh produce and derivatives.

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What are some goals in 2024 and beyond for Biotalys?

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• We want to obtain registration for the first generation of EVOCA, first in the US, and later on in Europe. This will be a key milestone for the Company
• We are looking to enter into partnership agreements for the commercial production and distribution of some of our pipeline products.
• We are looking to secure further strategic crop protection R&D collaborations to add new programs to tackle key fungi and harmful insects and help growers protect their crops and yield.

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How can people connect with you or learn more about Biotalys?

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We regularly organize site visits and even have a Shareholders Club where interested investors can come and visit our labs and speak with our management and scientists. If you want to learn more, check our website www.biotalys.com, register online for our press releases or contact us via info@biotalys.com.

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