Evogene Ltd.

Welcome to Evagen's second quarter results conference call. All participants are present in listen-only mode. Following management's formal presentation, we will open the question and answer session. You may send questions via chat. Please type your name and company before your question. As a reminder, this conference is being recorded August 22, 2024. Before we begin, I would like to caution that this presentation contains forward-looking statements relating to future events and Evagen LTD, the company, may from time to time make other statements regarding our outlook or expectations for future financial or operating results and or other matters regarding or affecting us that are considered forward-looking statements. as defined in the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and other securities laws, as amended. Statements that are not statements of historical fact may be deemed to be forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements may be identified by the use of such words as believe, expect, anticipate, should, planned, estimated, intend, and potential, or words of similar meaning. We are using forward-looking statements in this presentation when we discuss our value drivers, commercialization, efforts and timing, product development and launches, estimated market sizes and milestones, pipeline, as well as our capabilities and technology. Such statements are based on current expectations, estimates, projections and assumptions, describe opinions, about future events involve certain risks and uncertainties which are difficult to predict and are not guarantees of future performance. Readers are cautioned that certain important factors may affect the company's actual results and could cause such results to differ materially from any forward-looking statements that may be made in this presentation. Therefore, actual future results, performance, or achievements and trends in the future may differ materially from what is expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements due to a variety of factors, many of which are beyond our control, including, without limitation, the current war between Israel-Hamas and Hezbollah and any worsening of the situation in Israel, such as further mobilizations or escalation in the northern border of Israel. Those described in greater detail in Evagen's Annual Report on Form 20-F and in other information Evagen files and furnishes with the Israel Securities Authority and the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, including those factors under the heading Risk Factors. Except as required by applicable securities laws, we disclaim any obligation or commitment to update any information contained in this presentation or to publicly release the results of any revisions to any statements that may be made to reflect future events or developments or changes in expectations, estimates, projections, and assumptions. The information contained herein does not constitute a prospectus or other offering document, nor does it constitute or form part of any invitation or offer to sell or any solicitation of any invitation or offer to purchase or subscribe for any securities of Evogen or the company, nor shall the information or any part of it or the fact of its distribution form the basis of or be relied on in connection with any action, contract, commitment or relating thereto or to the securities of Evogen or the company. The trademarks include herein are the property of the owners hereof and are used for reference purposes only. Such use should not be construed as an endorsement of our products or services. Now, I would like to turn over the call to Ofer Khabib, President and CEO of Evogen. Mr. Khabib, please go ahead.

Hello and good day, everyone. In today's conference call, I would like to start with a review of financial and business highlights for the second quarter, continue with an overview of Evogen's activity, and conclude with the achievements of our subsidiaries that took place from the last analyst call. Following my part, I'm pleased to have Castera's CEO, Yoash Zohar, present Castera's activity, recent achievement, and his view on future company growth. After that, Evogen CFO, Yaron Elad, will provide a financial update of the second quarter activities. Then we will open the Q&A sessions. Let's start with the financial and business highlights. In the first six months of 2024, total revenues reached approximately $5.1 million, compared to $1.3 million in the first half of 2023. We anticipate continued revenue growth in the rest of the year compared to the previous year. This is based on our expectation for Castera to initiate the supply of seeds that fulfill existing orders totaling over $8 million starting this month. In Q2 of 2024, total revenues reached approximately $914,000 compared to $654,000 in Q2 2023. In the first six months of 2024, loss was approximately $9.8 million, compared to $14.8 million in the first half of 2023. The decline in the company's loss continues. In Q2 2024, the loss was approximately $6 million, compared to $7.8 million in Q2 2023. The projected cash uses for 2024 without Biomica and LaviBio did not change from our last call, and it is approximately $8 million compared to $12.5 million in 2023, a notable 36% decrease year over year. We recently undertook a reverse split of our shares in the ratio of 10 to 1 Yaron will go into more details on this later in the call. Now, I would like to highlight the main achievements made by Evogen subsidiaries this quarter, starting with Castera. Castera received an additional purchase order from an existing customer valued at approximately $440,000 to supply castor seeds to a new African country. The company successfully completed its castor seed growing and harvesting season in Brazil, with seed planned to be shipped during the third quarter of 2024. The castor seeds produced in 2024 in both Brazilian and African territories are expected to enable Castera to meet all its existing orders amounting to approximately $8.4 million. Moving on to Biomica. The company's preliminary phase one trial results showed promising trend for BMC-128 when combined with Nivo Lumab, in treating patients with refractory renal cell carcinoma, non-small cell lung cancer, and melanoma. The data indicated potential efficacy and safety, marking a crucial step forward in the development of this microbiome-based therapeutic. These results were presented at the ASCO 2024 Annual Meeting in May this year. Now to La Vie Bio. ICL and La Vie Bio achieved a significant milestone in their collaboration for developing yield-increasing biostimulants for raw crops under extreme weather conditions By leveraging AI, LaviBio identified over a dozen novel microbial candidates within 12 months, utilizing its BDD technology platform. The company announced the commercial expansion of its bioiniculant product, Yalos, to winter wheat following successful trials. I will provide more details on the achievement of each subsidiary later in the presentation. Moving on to the review of Evogen. In our vision, we see Evogen as pioneering company for creating groundbreaking life science products rooted in microbes, small molecules, and genomics to improve life quality and longevity. To achieve this vision, we focused on merging life science knowledge with dedicated big data and cutting edge computational technologies. This concept supported the creation of our following three AI tech engine, which provides effective discovery and optimization of life science products. MicroBoost AI directed and accelerate the development of micro-based products, Campus AI for small molecule-based products, and Generator AI for product based on genetic elements. The value proposition of our AI-driven tech engines seem from the efficient finding and optimization of the most promising candidates therefore increasing the probability of successfully reaching a breakthrough product within competitive timeframe and in cost efficient manner. Our three AI tech engines were structured to be compatible with the tremendous potential of various market segment, not limited to only one specific segment. Each tech engine is at the center of potential development of many product types addressing the needs of different life science industries. Although this technology holds enormous potential, each market segment requires specific expertise for its product development and of course, financial resources and advanced development and production infrastructure. So how do we capture the value inherent in our technology? Our business strategy is targeting maximum potential with minimum risk. To capture the value of our AI tech engines, we aim to establish diverse collaborative partnership for life science product development. The partners we collaborate with are experts in specific fields that complement our technology. We adopted this approach to maximize the potential of our tech engines while aiming to reduce financial and development risk. This is a current snapshot of the status of our business model. With Avogen owning four subsidiary companies, And in additional market segments not covered by our subsidiaries, we have collaborations with leading companies, all working on developing innovative life science products. I'm very proud of our achievement to date, reflected by the growing list of commercial and financial partners the Avogen Group is engaged with. Since the beginning of 2024, La Vie Bio announced partnering with two additional world-leading ag companies, Syngenta and Bayer. Castera disclosed its engagement with ENI, a world-leading oil and gas company. Ag Planners announced partnering with Bayer and Evogen itself established together with the Kitchen Hub, Finally Food, a new company focused on protein production in plant. Moving on to our subsidiaries achievement. I would like to start with Castera, a fully-owned subsidiary, which focuses on developing an integrated solution to enable large-scale commercial cultivation of castor, benefiting from its unique elixir varieties. Castera's solutions aim to address the global demand for stable castor oil supply, mainly for the biodiesel industry. The company is utilizing Generator AI tech engine to direct and accelerate the development of its unique elite castor seed varieties. On June 25, Castera announced receiving a $440,000 purchase order to supply castor seed to a new African country. This order from an existing customer expand Castera's operations and strength its position in the biofuel market. The order is expected to be supplied in 2024. On July 31, Castera announced the successful completion of its castor seed growing and harvesting season in Brazil with shipment planned to be initiated from the third quarter of 2024. Additionally, the castor harvest season in Africa has begun as scheduled. As stated earlier, the castor seeds produced in 2024 in both Brazilian and African territories are expected to enable Castera to meet all its existing orders, amounting to approximately $8.4 million, which we anticipate completing by the end of this year. Later, we will hear from Yoash Zohar, Castera's CEO, more about Castera and its trajectory. Continue is Ravi Bajo, a global leader in developing next-generation ag biological products utilizing Evogen's MicroBoost AI. On July 2nd, LaVie Bio announced the commercial expansion of its bioinequalant Jalos to winter wheat following successful trial with sales starting across the US for the 24-25 season. effectively doubling its market potential. On July 17, ICL and LaviBio announced a significant milestone in developing biostimulant solution for raw crops facing extreme weather conditions by leveraging AI to identify over a dozen novel microbes within 12 months using LaviBio's proprietary BDD technology platform. I'm happy to share that LaviBio's pipeline is advancing according to plan, with field trials initiated in Q2 in most of the company programs following successful optimization process. Results are expected during Q4. Now to Biomica, which specialize in developing microbiome-based therapeutics for human health, utilizing Avogen's MicroBoost AI tech engine. On May 23, Biomica announced promising preliminary results for its ongoing phase one clinical trial of the microbiome-based therapeutics BMC128 in combination with Nivolumab for treating non-small cell lung cancer, melanoma, and refractory renal cell carcinoma. The trial includes 11 patients who had experienced disease progressions despite prior immunotherapy treatments. The initial finding suggested potential benefit for patients with advanced stages of these diseases. Those results represented some of the first positive evidence emerging from the field of cancer therapies that leverage gut microbiota. These results were presented at the prestigious ASCO annual meeting in June this year. In May, Biomica presented preclinical results of its IBS program from the research collaboration with New York University at the prestigious DDW conference. Further clinical data from the phase one cancer study will become available and analyzed through the next few months to gain a deeper understanding of the therapeutic potential of BMC-128 in combination with nivolumab in cancer treatment. We look forward to continue the evaluation of BMC128 beneficial activity in future of clinical development. I'm pleased to pass the presentation to Yoash Zohar, Castera's CEO, to present Castera activity, recent achievements, and his view on future company growth.

Hello and good day. I'm pleased to participate in Evogen's quarterly analysis call and share with you my perspective on Castera, which I joined at the beginning of this year. Castera's vision is to establish itself as a leading provider of sustainable veg oil feedstock for the global bio-based industries. We are particularly focused on contributing to the biofuel sector, where the demand for renewable and sustainable resources is rapidly increasing. Our mission aligns with this vision by offering an integrated ag solution to grow commercial scale castor efficiently in sustainability, combining our elite castor seed varieties with advanced cultivation techniques. It's important to emphasize that castor oil is used for a variety of bio-based products. And in the last years, there is a growing interest in castor oil as a potential major feedstock for biofuels. Next slide. The castor oil value chain begins with the development of elite castor seed varieties targeting high yield, high oil content, and resistant to abiotic stresses to allow cultivation in marginal and or semi-arid soils. Next step is the seed production targeting replication of the elite seed varieties performance with high germination rates and other important traits. Now we move to commercial scale cultivation of the castor seeds to produce high quality grains. In this phase, professional growing protocols are crucial to capture maximum value from the castor plant. Using mechanized harvesting and other agricultural machinery, such as the hulling machines, can ensure maximum yield and efficiency with minimum cost and losses. The grain is then shipped to the oil extraction facility with two main products, castor oil and castor cake. The cake is a nitrogen-rich organic fertilizer obtained as a solid residue from the processing of grains for castor oil. The castor oil can be now used as feedstock for biofuel or other bio-based industrial products. The global castor oil market is projected to reach $1.68 billion by 2028. This growth is driven by increasing demand in bio-based industries, particularly for sustainable and renewable resources. As we look at the global supply chain for castor oil, we see significant challenges. Most of the castor oil supply is currently coming from India, where traditional cultivation methods are still prevalent. Castor is grown there primarily as a tall shrub and the harvesting process is done manually, which significantly limits scalability. The traditional methods used in these regions result in low yields. These factors contribute to a supply chain that will not keep up with the expected rapid increase in global demand for castor oil, particularly as industries seek sustainable bio-based resources. Addressing these challenges is critical to ensuring a sustainable and scalable supply of castor oil in the future. In response to the challenges in the traditional castor supply chain, Castera has developed a comprehensive integrated agricultural solution. Our approach includes the development of proprietary elite castor seed varieties that are specifically bred for higher yield and better adaptability to various growing conditions. These elite seeds are supported by advanced agrotechnical practices, including growing protocols and mechanized harvesting and de-hulling, ensuring cultivation methods that are optimized for large-scale castor grain production, directly addressing the limitations of manual harvesting methods. Castera's integrated solution is not just about increasing production. It's about ensuring a stable and reliable supply chain of castor oil globally. As demand for biobased products continues to grow, our solution positions us to be a leading supplier in this essential market. Next slide. So after we reviewed the Castor market value chain challenges and Castera's offering, I would like to highlight several points. Castera operates within the rapidly growing Castor oil market, which is increasingly recognized as a sustainable energy source that can help reduce the reliance on fossil fuels. This global market and its derivatives are projected to reach over 1.6 billion by 2028, with the compound annual growth rate of 4.3%. This presents a significant opportunity for Castera to capitalize on. At the core of Castera's operations is our unique technology platform, which enables us to develop elite castor seed varieties with superior traits tailored for high performance in diverse agricultural environments. Castera's value proposition offers an integrated agricultural solution that includes elite caster varieties, extends to the entire farming process from growing protocols to mechanized harvesting and de-hulling, a solution that ensures efficiency and scalability. Castera formed an alliance with ENI, a leading global oil and gas company, and is proud to support ENI's initiative in the biofuel sector. This partnership underscores the strategic importance of castor oil as a sustainable energy resource and align with the global effort to transition to renewable energy sources. Castero's portfolio includes proprietary castor seed varieties such as EVF 716, EVF 712, and EVF 701, which have been bred for improved traits and are suitable for commercial scale cultivation. These varieties represent the culmination of our scientific and technological efforts, offering farmers reliable and high yield option for large scale production. In summary, Castera's involvement in the castor oil value chain is comprehensive from seed to grain. Our efforts are aligned with market trends and demand, ensuring that we contribute significantly to the global castor oil supply while driving innovation and sustainability in the industry. Next slide. I would like to highlight some of Castera's key commercial achievements, underscoring its significant economic impact. As previously announced in 2023, we secured our first major order from E&I, a global leader in the oil and gas industry, amounting to over 11 million US dollars. This represents a pivotal milestone in our journey. While our initial plan was to fulfill these orders in 2023, unforeseen challenges in seed production caused delays, resulting in only a partial supply within the year. Next slide. Since the beginning of 2024, Castera has been dedicated to expanding and stabilizing its seed production infrastructure, which is primarily supported by a network of seed growing subcontractors. In the first half of the year, we announced an expansion in both the number of seed growers we collaborate with and the geographical locations of our operations. We are now active in both Brazil and Africa, covering over 900 hectares. We believe we are on course to fulfill all remaining orders by the end of the year and have already begun addressing our growing backlog for 2025. Additionally, in 2024, we secure the further seed order, which we expect to deliver within this year. Next slide. I'm proud to announce the successful completion of our caster seed harvesting season in Brazil with over 130 tons of high quality seeds now ready for shipment from one of our trusted seed growers. This milestone reflects the effectiveness of our agricultural practices and the dedication of our team on the ground. These seeds will primarily support our valued customers in Africa, driving sustainable agriculture and innovation. Simultaneously, we have also commenced the customer harvesting season in Africa. Combined the seeds from these 2 regions are expected to fulfill an 8.4Million dollars in order. Received in 2023 and in 2024. These successful harvests are a testament to our strategic planning and execution capabilities. They also highlight Castera's ongoing commitment to delivering value to our customers for dependable supply chains and superior products. We take great pride in this accomplishment and look forward to maintaining this momentum as we progress further into 2025. Next slide. I am pleased to inform you that we have initiated discussion with our customers to assess their seed requirements for the 2025 growing season and beyond. I anticipate that by the next quarter, we will be able to provide a comprehensive sales forecast for 2025. Additionally, we are increasingly encountering large castor oil consumers who are interested in expanding the use of the oil, but prefer not to participate in castor grain cultivation or oil production themselves. Instead, they are interested in directly purchasing castor oil. Consequently, we have begun to explore the economic implications of expanding our operation in the value chain to castor oil production, where Castera would take the lead in grain production and collaborate with established oil producers. I look forward to updating you on this matter should we make any progress. In closing, I'm honored to serve as the CEO of Castera, a company with a promising future and significant economic potential. Thank you very much. Evogen CFO Yaron will now take the lead.