Approval underscores confidence in Biotalys’ AGROBODY® technology and follows strong interest from Dutch growers to test the product against fungal diseases in cucumber, tomato and strawberry
Ghent, BELGIUM, Nov. 03, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Press Release
Biotalys (Euronext Brussels: BTLS), an Agricultural Technology (AgTech) company developing protein-based biocontrol solutions for sustainable crop protection, today announced that it has received approval from the Dutch Board for the Authorisation of Plant Protection Products and Biocides* to conduct large-scale demonstration trials of its next-generation biofungicide candidate, EVOCA NG, marking the world-first commercial application of the product under real growing conditions.
The approval by the Dutch regulatory authority enables commercial trials by growers on up to 150 hectares of tomatoes, 150 hectares of cucumbers, and 50 hectares of strawberries, significantly expanding the scale of Biotalys' demonstration program running in previous years with the company’s first-generation biocontrol, EVOCA.
"The approval of this demonstration program marks an important milestone for our company," said Carlo Boutton, Chief Executive Officer of Biotalys. "By enabling growers to evaluate EVOCA NG across larger commercial acreages while allowing harvested produce into the food chain, these trials provide real-world validation of our first commercial product as we continue to advance its development and production optimisation. It also reflects the growing confidence regulators have in the safety and potential of our AGROBODY based biofungicide technology."
The trials will evaluate EVOCA NG for the control of both Botrytis and powdery mildew, two economically important fungal diseases affecting many crops worldwide. Botrytis can infect flowers, fruits, leaves and stems, causing tissue decay and grey mould that can reduce both crop yield and marketable quality. Powdery mildew develops mainly on the surface of leaves and other green tissues, where it can weaken plant growth, ultimately affecting crop productivity and fruit quality. By controlling these fungal pathogens, EVOCA NG supports growers in maintaining the yield and quality of their crops at a time when many conventional crop protection products face resistance, are being phased out or are no longer authorised.
Grower perspectives
Feedback from Dutch growers who used EVOCA in earlier demonstration trials in the Netherlands underscores the practical value of evaluating the technology under commercial growing conditions. “We applied EVOCA on 3.7 hectares of strawberries with great results,” said Noud Dings of Brookberries, where Biotalys’ product replaced a synthetic fungicide in a rotation program. Rob van Enckevort of De Peelkroon commented: “For a second year in a row, we successfully used EVOCA against powdery mildew in strawberries.”
Both growers also showed interest in the newly approved demonstration trials with EVOCA NG, which aim to familiarize farmers facing a shrinking crop protection toolbox with Biotalys’ new technology and support early product adoption ahead of its expected European registration and launch in 2029.
*Ctgb: College voor de toelating van gewasbeschermingsmiddelen en biociden.
About EVOCA NG
EVOCA® NG is Biotalys' next-generation protein-based biofungicide candidate, developed using the Company's proprietary AGROBODY® technology platform. The product is being developed to help fruit and vegetable growers effectively control the key fungal diseases Botrytis (grey mold) and powdery mildew while supporting increasingly sustainable agricultural production systems. EVOCA NG is expected to be Biotalys’ first commercial biofungicide, with a planned launch in the U.S. and E.U. in 2029, targeting a combined market of around USD 1.1 billion1.
EVOCA NG has the same bioactive ingredient as EVOCA, the first-generation product that received EPA approval in the U.S. in December 2025 and state approval in Florida and California in 2026 and for which regulatory review is ongoing in the E.U. An approval of EVOCA paves the way for the regulatory submission of EVOCA NG, the product’s next generation version.
About Biotalys
Biotalys is an Agricultural Technology (AgTech) company developing precision biocontrol solutions based on proteins for the protection of crops in both the pre- and post-harvest markets. The company provides novel solutions that bridge the efficacy and scale of chemistry with the environmental advantages of biological solutions. Based on its novel AGROBODY® technology platform, Biotalys is developing a strong and diverse pipeline of effective product candidates with a favorable safety profile that aim to address key crop pests and diseases across the whole value chain, from soil to plate. Biotalys was founded as a spin-off from the VIB (Flanders Institute for Biotechnology) and is listed on Euronext Brussels. The company is based in the biotech cluster in Ghent, Belgium. More information can be found on www.biotalys.com.
For further information, please contact:
Toon Musschoot, Investor Relations & Communications
T: +32 (0)9 274 54 00
E: IR@biotalys.com
Important Notice
Biotalys, its business, prospects and financial position remain exposed and subject to risks and uncertainties. A description of and reference to these risks and uncertainties can be found in the annual report on the consolidated annual accounts published on the company’s website.
This announcement contains statements which are "forward-looking statements" or could be considered as such. These forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology, including the words ‘aim’, 'believe', 'estimate', 'anticipate', 'expect', 'intend', “have the potential”, 'may', 'will', 'plan', 'continue', 'ongoing', 'possible', 'predict', 'plans', 'target', 'seek', 'would' or 'should' or are evidenced by a date in the future, and contain statements made by the company regarding the intended results of its strategy. By their nature, forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties and readers are warned that none of these forward-looking statements offers any guarantee of future performance. Biotalys’ actual results may differ materially from those predicted by the forward-looking statements. Biotalys makes no undertaking whatsoever to publish updates or adjustments to these forward-looking statements, unless required to do so by law.
1 Source: Kynetec 2020; Biotalys
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