Belgian company Biotalys said Dec. 2 its Evoca biofungicide is the first protein-based crop-protection product to receive regulatory approval by the U.S. Environmental Protection agency.
Evoca targets grey mold and powdery mildew in fruits and vegetables.
The active substance is a polypeptide produced by biofermentation. It disrupts the fungal cell membrane, interfering with spore germination and hyphae growth, the company stated on its website.
With the approval, Biotalys can proceed with the process for state registrations in California and Florida, two of the most important growing regions for fruit and vegetables in the United States, the company said.
“This approval marks a major regulatory milestone for Evoca and moves us closer to delivering a new, sustainable tool for farmers to protect their crops,” said Biotalys CEO Kevin Helash. “The product has an entirely new mode of action to target fungal diseases, highlighting the uniqueness of Biotalys’ technology platform as a pathway to discovering many new modes of action in the coming years.”
In October, EPA also posted a final rule exempting Evoca’s active ingredient residues on treated crops from maximum residue limits due to the product’s safety profile, the company said.
Biotalys also is moving forward with the regulatory submission process for its next-generation Evoca NG biofungicide. The company expects the regulatory review process to be significantly shorter, as the product contains the same active ingredient as Evoca. The company expects Evoca NG to receive regulatory approval by 2028-2029 in the U.S. and in 2029-2030 in the EU and Brazil.
About the Author
Jonathan Katz
Executive Editor
Jonathan Katz, executive editor, brings nearly two decades of experience as a B2B journalist to Chemical Processing magazine. He has expertise on a wide range of industrial topics. Jon previously served as the managing editor for IndustryWeek magazine and, most recently, as a freelance writer specializing in content marketing for the manufacturing sector.
His knowledge areas include industrial safety, environmental compliance/sustainability, lean manufacturing/continuous improvement, Industry 4.0/automation and many other topics of interest to the Chemical Processing audience.
When he’s not working, Jon enjoys fishing, hiking and music, including a small but growing vinyl collection.
Jon resides in the Cleveland, Ohio, area.