Biotalys and 21st.BIO Enter into Strategic Partnership to Advance Biocontrol Production

Biotalys Provides Update on Its Plans to Fund Next Phase of Development

Ghent, BELGIUM, Jan. 23, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Press release – inside information*

Biotalys (Euronext: BTLS) and 21st.BIO, a leading Danish precision fermentation technology company, have entered into a strategic partnership to accelerate the production of Biotalys’ protein-based biocontrol solutions. This collaboration will leverage 21st.BIO’s proprietary fermentation platform to support the production of Biotalys’ AGROBODY agricultural biocontrol products at commercially competitive costs.

21st.BIO offers an industry-leading precision fermentation platform, powered by production strains refined over more than four decades and proven in broad commercial use. Part of 21st.BIO’s advanced precision fermentation technology is licensed from Novonesis, and the new collaboration will integrate 21st.BIO’s capabilities with prior work conducted by Biotalys and Novonesis. This collaboration is expected to expand process development options and support efficient, large-scale manufacturing of Biotalys’ precision biocontrol products.

“This partnership marks an important strategic step in strengthening the technical backbone of our AGROBODY platform,” said Kevin Helash, CEO of Biotalys. “By combining 21st.BIO’s proven fermentation expertise with our own innovation in protein-based biocontrols, we are reinforcing the foundation needed to support a growing and differentiated product portfolio.”

“Our collaboration with Novonesis and its relationship to 21st.BIO were critical in unlocking this next step toward advancing our first commercial product, EVOCA™ NG, and other products in our pipeline toward commercialisation,” he added.

Thomas Schmidt, co-founder and CEO of 21st.BIO, added: “21st.BIO was founded on the ambition to bring promising lab-scale innovation to reliable, cost effective, industrial-scale biotech production – as fast as possible, and with reduced risk. We are proud to help Biotalys reduce production costs and increase speed to market with our leading precision fermentation technology. Our collaboration will ensure that powerful protein-based biocontrols like EVOCA NG become a sustainable, and cost-effective option for growers around the globe, so we can support a safer, more secure food chain for all.”

In line with the transition to this new agreement, Biotalys and Novonesis will conclude their collaboration. Biotalys is in discussions with manufacturing and distribution partners globally to secure its commercialisation strategy. The company expects to have all key arrangements in place well ahead of the launch of EVOCA NG, subject to registration which is currently foreseen for 2028-29 in the U.S. and 2029-30 in the E.U.

Update on plans to fund next phase of development

To support these continued advancements, Biotalys confirms its cash runway into May 2026 as previously announced. The company is considering additional financing through equity from institutional investors or otherwise, to fund the route to commercialization of EVOCA NG and the continued development of its portfolio of novel AGROBODY biocontrols on its technology platform.**

* The inside information in this press release only relates to the partnership with 21^st Bio and the collaboration with Novonesis.

** Financing could be through equity from institutional investors, including main existing shareholders, on the basis of public offering exemptions under applicable laws, or otherwise.

About EVOCA NG

EVOCA NG helps safely control the fungal diseases Botrytis (grey mold) and powdery mildew for fruit and vegetable growers. EVOCA NG is expected to be Biotalys’ first commercial biofungicide, with a planned launch in the U.S., Europe and Brazil, targeting a combined market of around USD 1.2 billion¹.

On 2 December 2025, Biotalys announced that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) approved EVOCA, the company’s first-generation version. An approval of EVOCA paves the way for the regulatory submission of EVOCA NG. The company anticipates a significantly shorter regulatory review process for EVOCA NG, as the product contains the same active ingredient as EVOCA.

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 in 2013 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.

About 21st.BIO

21st.BIO was founded with one simple mission: to make leading industrial scale precision fermentation technology accessible to as many as possible, so companies can successfully take biotech innovations to market at a competitive price. 21st.BIO focuses on developing industrial production technology for proteins and other molecules of interest for food, nutrition, agriculture, biomaterials, and biomining industries.

Founded in 2020, 21st.BIO is based in Copenhagen, Denmark and Davis, California, and has a world-class R&D team and pilot production facilities. On a mission to support bio industrial companies globally in upscaling from molecule innovation to large-scale production, 21st.BIO enables its customers to meet market demands, and thereby bringing unique new offerings to market and advance the green transition globally.

21st.BIO’s fermentation technology is in part licensed from Novonesis, who have developed and perfected their platform over several decades. Novonesis is a global leader in enzymes, functional proteins and microorganisms for high value products in food, household care, and agriculture.

For further information, please contact:

Toon Musschoot, Head of IR & Communication, Biotalys
T: +32 (0)9 274 54 00
E: IR@biotalys.com

Mathilde Pinon, Marketing & Business Development Manager, 21st.BIO
T : +45 31543184
E : m.pinon@21st.bio

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', 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

Attachments

• Press Release_Biotalys and 21st.BIO Enter into Strategic Partnership to Advance Biocontrol Production
• Persbericht_Biotalys en 21st.BIO gaan strategisch partnership aan om productie van biologische bestrijdingsmiddelen te bevorderen