6-K
Evogene Ltd. (EVGN)
UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549
FORM 6-K
REPORT OF FOREIGN PRIVATE ISSUER
PURSUANT TO RULE 13a-16 OR 15d-16 OF
THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
For the month of March 2022
Commission File Number: 001-36187
EVOGENE LTD.
(Translation of Registrant’s Name into English)
13 Gad Feinstein Street, Park Rehovot, Rehovot
P.O.B 4173, Ness Ziona, 7414002, Israel
(Address of principal executive offices)
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant files or will file annual reports under cover of Form 20-F or Form 40-F.
Form 20-F ☒ Form 40-F ☐
Indicate by check mark if the registrant is submitting the Form 6-K in paper as permitted by Regulation S-T Rule 101(b)(1): ____
Indicate by check mark if the registrant is submitting the Form 6-K in paper as permitted by Regulation S-T Rule 101(b)(7): ____
CONTENTS
On March 10, 2022, Evogene Ltd. (“Evogene”) announced its financial results for the fourth quarter and fiscal year ended December 31, 2021. Also on March 10, 2021, Evogene made available an updated corporate presentation on its website. Copies of the press release announcing those results and presentation are furnished as Exhibit 99.1 and Exhibit 99.2, respectively, to this Report of Foreign Private Issuer on Form 6-K (this “Form 6-K”) and are incorporated herein by reference.
The contents of Exhibit 99.1 to this Form 6-K, excluding the statements of Evogene’s President and CEO contained therein, are incorporated by reference in the registration statements on Form F-3 (Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) File No. 333-253300), and Form S-8 (SEC File Nos. 333-259215, 333-193788, 333-201443 and 333-203856) of Evogene, and will be a part thereof from the date on which this Form 6-K is submitted, to the extent not superseded by documents or reports subsequently filed or furnished.
SIGNATURE
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the Registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.
| Date: March 10, 2022 | EVOGENE LTD.<br><br> (Registrant)<br><br> <br><br> By: /s/ Dorit Kreiner<br><br> Dorit Kreiner<br><br> Chief Financial Officer |
|---|
EXHIBIT INDEX
| EXHIBIT NO. | DESCRIPTION |
|---|---|
| 99.1 | Press Release:<br> Evogene Reports Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2021 Financial Results. |
| 99.2 | Evogene Corporate<br> Presentation – March 2022. |
Exhibit 99.1
Evogene Reports Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2021 Financial Results
Conference call and webcast: today, March 10, 2022, 9:00 am ET
Rehovot, Israel – March 10, 2022 – Evogene Ltd. (NASDAQ: EVGN, TASE: EVGN), a leading computational biology company targeting to revolutionize life-science product discovery and development across multiple market segments, announced today its financial results for the fourth quarter and full year of 2021, ended December 31, 2021.
Mr. Ofer Haviv, Evogene's President and Chief Executive Officer, stated, “With 2022 well on its way and our subsidiaries successfully advancing on their developmental activities, we believe that we are progressing to significant value enhancing milestones. Moreover, we are very proud that our subsidiaries, Lavie Bio and Canonic, recently began commercializing their products in target markets. The rapid advancement from concept to marketable product indicates the invaluable contribution Evogene’s technological engines MicroBoost AI, ChemPass AI and GeneRator AI have on life-science product development.
“As the activities of our subsidiaries mature, we continue to develop our engines with the goal of further improving their offering and potential, as engines underpinning and empowering the development of life-science products. In the years to come we intend to expand the eco-system of each of our technological engines, with the goal of expanding into new areas and new product types. Over the year, we hope to discuss this in more detail.
“It is important for us to state that we believe that our strong cash position of approximately $54 million is a demonstration of financial strength, which is particularly important in current times of instability in the financial markets. Still, to support our subsidiaries’ growth and to strengthen their position as independent companies, we are currently evaluating different funding options for the group and are in different levels of discussions with potential strategic and financial investors,” - Mr. Haviv concluded.
2021 Achievements & 2022 Milestones:
Biomica Ltd.
Immuno-oncology program – Biomica recently received clearance from the Israeli Ministry of Health to proceed to a first-in-human phase I study, which is set to be held at the Rambam Healthcare Campus in Israel, following the completion of a series of pre-clinical trials with BMC128 given in combination with Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors immunotherapy, indicating significant improvement in anti-tumor activity. Biomica is currently advancing towards the initiation of the study.
Milestone for 2022 – readout from proof of concept, first in human study.
Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) program – During 2021, Biomica achieved positive results from a series of pre-clinical studies, indicating reduction of intestinal tissue damage resulting from inflammation. These results provided the evidential groundwork to proceed to the scale up development process of BMC333.
Milestone for 2022 – initiate scale-up for GMP production of BMC333 as preparation for clinical trials.
Canonic Ltd.
MetaYield program – During October 2021, Canonic began initial commercial sales in Israel of G200 and G150, cannabis inflorescence products marketed under the T20/C4 and T15/C3 categories, respectively^1^.
Milestone for 2022 – commercial launch of second-generation products in Israel and preparations towards commercialization in Europe in 2023.
Precise program – During 2021, Canonic conducted pre-clinical trials, identifying cannabis varieties with pain relief and anti-inflammatory properties, for which Canonic recently filed a patent application.
Milestone for 2022 – collect user data for clinical indications to support commercial launch in 2023 in Israel.
AgPlenus Ltd.
New Mode-of-Action (MoA) herbicides – In 2021, the company gathered additional information regarding its leading new MoA target protein, APTH1, for herbicide development and reached proof-of-concept regarding a seed trait presenting crop resistance to APH1 (a chemical compound that is the basis for the development of a herbicide).
^^
The collaboration with Corteva, which is focused on other modes-of-action, is progressing according to plan.
Milestones for 2022 –
| - | enter an additional collaboration agreement. |
|---|
^1^ According to the product categories established by the Israeli Ministry of Health, T20/C4 category means 17%-24% THC & 1%-7% CBD and T15/C3 category means 11%-19% THC & 0.5%-5.5% CBD.
2
| - | expand data package for APTH1, AgPlenus’ leading new MoA protein for the development of novel herbicides. |
|---|
Lavie Bio Ltd.
Inoculant (bio-stimulant) for spring wheat – During late 2021, Lavie Bio began the commercialization of its inoculant result™ aiming at the improvement of yield based on microbes. The product’s initial market penetration for spring wheat is planned for the upcoming 2022 sowing season and will be limited to target regions in North Dakota.
Milestone for 2022 – build infrastructure for scale-up in result™ sales in 2023.
Bio-fungicide fruit rot program – Following the completion of three consecutive years of vineyard trials, conducted in Europe and in the U.S., Lavie Bio has prioritized LAV311 as its lead candidate for final development and submission of a regulatory dossier, expected to be filed with the federal U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and California EPA during 2022.
Milestone for 2022 – file for regulatory approval for leading product candidate LAV311 targeting fruit rot, as preparation for commercialization in 2024.
Consolidated Financial Results Summary
Cash position: Evogene maintains a strong financial position for its activities with $53.9 million in consolidated cash, cash related accounts, bank deposits and marketable securities as of December 31, 2021, of which $7.8 million is appropriated to its subsidiary, Lavie Bio.
During 2021, the consolidated cash usage was approximately $25.8 million, or $20.6 million, excluding Lavie Bio. These sums in 2021 are before giving effect to $29.6 million net raised through Evogene’s at-the-market, or ATM, programs and exclude $1.8 million of proceeds from non-refundable grants and exercises of options. This is in comparison to 2020, during which the consolidated cash usage was $19.3 million, or $14.7 million, excluding Lavie Bio. The cash usage in 2020 was unusually low due to certain measures, regarding salary expenses, that the Company initiated to mitigate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic during that year.
During the fourth quarter of 2021, the consolidated cash usage was approximately $8.4 million, or $7.0 million, excluding Lavie Bio. This is in comparison to the fourth quarter of 2020, during which the consolidated cash usage was approximately $6.1 million, or $5.1 million, excluding Lavie Bio.
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The cash burn rate during 2021 and in the fourth quarter was higher than during the same periods in 2020, due to the following reasons:
| - | During the second and third quarters of 2020 the burn rate was significantly lower due to certain measures the Company initiated to mitigate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, as mentioned above. |
|---|---|
| - | During 2021, Evogene’s subsidiaries significantly expanded product development activities, including: |
| --- | --- |
| • | Biomica’s ongoing preparations, including the GMP production of microbes, for the initiation of its first-in-human proof-of-concept study in the immuno-oncology program, |
| --- | --- |
| • | Lavie Bio's activities supporting the commercial launch of its inoculant product branded as result™ in 2022, |
| --- | --- |
| • | Canonic’s product commercialization in Israel during the fourth quarter of 2021. |
| --- | --- |
| - | Expenses related to accelerating and expanding Evogene’s technological engines. |
| --- | --- |
The Company’s management estimates that the cash usage for the full year of 2022 will be within the range of $26-$28 million. These guidelines include the cash usage of Evogene’s subsidiary Lavie Bio, which is estimated at approximately $8 million.
Research and Development (“R&D”) expenses:
R&D expenses for the fourth quarter of 2021, which are reported net of non-refundable grants received, were $6.0 million, in comparison to $4.8 million in the fourth quarter of 2020. For the full year 2021, these expenses were $21.1 million, in comparison to $17.3 million in 2020.
The increase in R&D expenses was mainly attributed to an increase in expenses due to an expansion in product development activities of the Company and its subsidiaries, as mentioned above.
Business Development (“BD”) expenses:
BD expenses were approximately $720 thousand for the fourth quarter of 2021, in comparison to $670 thousand in the fourth quarter of 2020. Such expenses remained stable for the full year 2021 in comparison to 2020 and were approximately $2.7 million.
General and Administrative (“G&A”) expenses:
G&A expenses for the fourth quarter of 2021 were $2.0 million, in comparison to $1.7 million in the fourth quarter of 2020. G&A expenses for the full year 2021 were $7.3 million, in comparison to $5.3 million in 2020. The increase was mainly attributed to the increase of the costs of directors' and officers' insurance policies, an increase in salary-based expenses and an increase in other professional services.
4
Operating loss:
Operating loss for the fourth quarter of 2021 was $8.7 million in comparison to $7.2 million in the fourth quarter of 2020. Operating loss for the full year 2021 was $31.0 million in comparison to $24.8 million in 2020. The operating loss increased due to an increase in overall operating expenses, as described above, as well as due to an increase in salary-based expenses in comparison to 2020, mainly for the following reasons:
| - | relatively low salary-based expenses in 2020 due to measures taken by the company to mitigate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic; and |
|---|---|
| - | an increase in salaries in 2021 due to an increase in the market demand for highly skilled workers. |
| --- | --- |
Loss:
The loss for the fourth quarter of 2021 was $8.1 million in comparison to a loss of $8.8 million during the fourth quarter of 2020. The loss for the full year 2021 was $30.4 million in comparison to a loss of $26.2 million for 2020. The increase in loss is attributed mainly to the increase in operating expenses, as described above, which was partially offset by net financing income for 2021 in comparison to net financing expenses for 2020.
***
Conference Call & Webcast Details:
Date: March 10, 2022
Time: 9:00 am EST; 16:00 Israel time
Dial-in number:1-888-281-1167 toll free from the United States, or +972-3-918-0609 internationally
Webcast: Link available at https://www.evogene.com/investor-relations/presentations-and-webcasts/
Replay Information: A replay of the conference call will be available approximately two hours following the completion of the call.
To access the replay, please dial 1-888-326-9310 toll free from the United States, or +972-3-925-5901 internationally. The replay will be accessible through March 11, 2022, and an archive of the webcast will be available on the Company’s website.
The Company filed an updated presentation which can be viewed here: http://www.evogene.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Evogene-Presentation_March_-2022_FINAL.pdf
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About Evogene Ltd.:
Evogene (NASDAQ: EVGN, TASE: EVGN) is a computational biology company aiming to revolutionize the development of life-science based products by utilizing cutting edge technologies to increase probability of success while reducing development time and cost. Evogene established three unique technological engines - MicroBoost AI, ChemPass AI and GeneRator AI – leveraging Big Data and Artificial Intelligence and incorporating deep multidisciplinary understanding in life sciences. Each technological engine is focused on the discovery and development of products based on one of the following core components: microbes (MicroBoost AI), small molecules (ChemPass AI), and genetic elements (GeneRator AI). Evogene uses its technological engines to develop products through subsidiaries and with strategic partners. Currently, Evogene’s main subsidiaries utilize the technological engines to develop human microbiome-based therapeutics by Biomica Ltd., medical cannabis products by Canonic Ltd., ag-chemicals by AgPlenus and ag-biologicals by Lavie Bio Ltd. For more information, please visit: www.evogene.com.
Forward Looking Statements
This press release contains "forward-looking statements" relating to future events. These statements may be identified by words such as “may”, “could”, “expects”, “hopes” “intends”, “anticipates”, “plans”, “believes”, “scheduled”, “estimates” or words of similar meaning. For example, Evogene is using forward-looking statement in this press release when it discusses its expectations with respect to value creation, potential funding options, the expansion of the eco-system of is technological engines into new areas and product types, its and its’ subsidiaries expected trials, studies, product advancements, pipelines, commercializations, sales, launches, milestones, target markets, cash usage and other plans for 2022 and on, and the potential advantages of its 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. Therefore, actual future results, performance or achievements of Evogene and its subsidiaries 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 the control of Evogene and its subsidiaries, including, without limitation, those risk factors contained in Evogene’s reports filed with the applicable securities authority. In addition, Evogene and its subsidiaries rely, and expect to continue to rely, on third parties to conduct certain activities, such as their field-trials and pre-clinical studies, and if these third parties do not successfully carry out their contractual duties, comply with regulatory requirements or meet expected deadlines, Evogene and its subsidiaries may experience significant delays in the conduct of their activities. Evogene and its subsidiaries disclaim any obligation or commitment to update these forward-looking statements to reflect future events or developments or changes in expectations, estimates, projections and assumptions.
| Evogene Investor Contact: |
|---|
| Kenny Green<br><br> <br>GK Investor Relations<br><br> <br>Email: evogene@gkir.com<br><br> <br>Tel: +1 212 378 8040 |
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CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF FINANCIAL POSITION
U.S. dollars in thousands (except share and per share data)
| December 31, | December 31, | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 2020 | |||||
| (Unaudited) | (Audited) | |||||
| CURRENT ASSETS: | ||||||
| Cash and cash equivalents | $ | 32,325 | $ | 46,229 | ||
| Short-term bank deposits | 3,000 | 2,000 | ||||
| Marketable securities | 18,541 | - | ||||
| Trade receivables | 281 | 222 | ||||
| Other receivables and prepaid expenses | 2,651 | 3,372 | ||||
| Inventories | 92 | - | ||||
| 56,890 | 51,823 | |||||
| LONG-TERM ASSETS: | ||||||
| Long-term deposits | 25 | 9 | ||||
| Right-of-use-assets | 2,109 | 1,872 | ||||
| Property, plant and equipment, net | 2,073 | 2,072 | ||||
| Intangible assets, net | 15,207 | 16,139 | ||||
| 19,414 | 20,092 | |||||
| $ | 76,304 | $ | 71,915 | |||
| CURRENT LIABILITIES: | ||||||
| Trade payables | $ | 1,463 | $ | 863 | ||
| Employees and payroll accruals | 2,662 | 2,535 | ||||
| Lease liability | 974 | 777 | ||||
| Liabilities in respect of government grants | 89 | 72 | ||||
| Pre-funded warrants | - | 4,144 | ||||
| Deferred revenues and other advances | 175 | 47 | ||||
| Other payables | 1,519 | 1,238 | ||||
| 6,882 | 9,676 | |||||
| LONG-TERM LIABILITIES: | ||||||
| Lease liability | 1,695 | 1,663 | ||||
| Liabilities in respect of government grants | 4,307 | 3,694 | ||||
| 6,002 | 5,357 | |||||
| SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY: | ||||||
| Ordinary shares of NIS 0.02 par value:<br><br> <br>Authorized - 150,000,000 ordinary shares; Issued and outstanding - 41,170,168 shares on December 31, 2021 and 35,600,088 shares on December 31,<br> 2020 | 234 | 200 | ||||
| Share premium and other capital reserve | 260,866 | 225,121 | ||||
| Accumulated deficit | (207,069 | ) | (179,276 | ) | ||
| Equity attributable to equity holders of the Company | 54,031 | 46,045 | ||||
| Non-controlling interests | 9,389 | 10,837 | ||||
| Total equity | 63,420 | 56,882 | ||||
| $ | 76,304 | $ | 71,915 |
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CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF PROFIT OR LOSS
U.S. dollars in thousands (except share and per share data)
| Year ended<br><br> <br>December 31, | Three months ended<br><br> <br>December 31, | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 2020 | 2021 | 2020 | |||||||||
| (Unaudited) | (Audited) | (Unaudited) | ||||||||||
| Revenues | $ | 930 | $ | 1,040 | $ | 311 | $ | 351 | ||||
| Cost of revenues | 767 | 574 | 267 | 346 | ||||||||
| Gross profit | 163 | 466 | 44 | 5 | ||||||||
| Operating expenses: | ||||||||||||
| Research and development, net | 21,125 | 17,287 | 6,016 | 4,811 | ||||||||
| Business development | 2,738 | 2,672 | 720 | 670 | ||||||||
| General and administrative | 7,253 | 5,321 | 2,000 | 1,701 | ||||||||
| Total operating expenses | 31,116 | 25,280 | 8,736 | 7,182 | ||||||||
| Operating loss | (30,953 | ) | (24,814 | ) | (8,692 | ) | (7,177 | ) | ||||
| Financing income | 1,935 | 1,591 | 938 | 733 | ||||||||
| Financing expenses | (1,414 | ) | (2,951 | ) | (336 | ) | (2,294 | ) | ||||
| Financing income (expenses), net | 521 | (1,360 | ) | 602 | (1,561 | ) | ||||||
| Loss before taxes on income | (30,432 | ) | (26,174 | ) | (8,090 | ) | (8,738 | ) | ||||
| Taxes on income (tax benefit) | 13 | 32 | (6 | ) | 25 | |||||||
| Loss | $ | (30,445 | ) | $ | (26,206 | ) | $ | (8,084 | ) | $ | (8,763 | ) |
| Attributable to: | ||||||||||||
| Equity holders of the Company | (27,793 | ) | (23,374 | ) | (7,371 | ) | (8,122 | ) | ||||
| Non-controlling interests | (2,652 | ) | (2,832 | ) | (713 | ) | (641 | ) | ||||
| $ | (30,445 | ) | $ | (26,206 | ) | $ | (8,084 | ) | $ | (8,763 | ) | |
| Basic and diluted loss per share, attributable to equity holders of the Company | $ | (0.69 | ) | $ | (0.83 | ) | $ | (0.18 | ) | $ | (0.25 | ) |
| Weighted average number of shares used in computing basic and diluted loss per share | 40,433,303 | 28,158,779 | 41,169,222 | 34,111,012 |
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CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS
U.S. dollars in thousands
| Year ended<br><br> <br>December 31, | Three months ended<br><br> <br>December 31, | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 2020 | 2021 | 2020 | |||||||||
| (Unaudited) | (Audited) | (Unaudited) | ||||||||||
| Cash flows from operating activities | ||||||||||||
| Loss | $ | (30,445 | ) | $ | (26,206 | ) | $ | (8,084 | ) | $ | (8,763 | ) |
| Adjustments to reconcile loss to net cash used in operating activities: | ||||||||||||
| Adjustments to the profit or loss items: | ||||||||||||
| Depreciation | 1,302 | 1,792 | 317 | 392 | ||||||||
| Amortization of Intangible assets | 932 | 935 | 235 | 236 | ||||||||
| Share-based compensation | 2,609 | 4,097 | 737 | 617 | ||||||||
| Pre-funded warrants issuance expenses | - | 211 | - | 211 | ||||||||
| Net financing expenses (income) | (886 | ) | 967 | (735 | ) | 1,224 | ||||||
| Decrease (increase) in accrued bank interest | 11 | 64 | (4 | ) | 27 | |||||||
| Taxes on income (tax benefit) | 13 | 32 | (6 | ) | 25 | |||||||
| 3,981 | 8,098 | 544 | 2,732 | |||||||||
| Changes in asset and liability items: | ||||||||||||
| Increase in trade receivables | (59 | ) | (150 | ) | (130 | ) | (188 | ) | ||||
| Decrease (increase) in other receivables | 653 | (1,300 | ) | (791 | ) | (1,441 | ) | |||||
| Increase in inventories | (92 | ) | - | (92 | ) | - | ||||||
| Increase in long-term deposits | (16 | ) | - | - | - | |||||||
| Increase (decrease) in trade payables | 625 | (29 | ) | (362 | ) | 122 | ||||||
| Increase in employees and payroll accruals | 127 | 456 | 301 | 805 | ||||||||
| Increase (decrease) in other payables | 290 | (87 | ) | 266 | 6 | |||||||
| Increase (decrease) in deferred revenues and other advances | 128 | (339 | ) | 175 | (85 | ) | ||||||
| 1,656 | (1,449 | ) | (633 | ) | (781 | ) | ||||||
| Cash received (paid) during the period for: | ||||||||||||
| Interest received | 297 | 294 | 52 | 3 | ||||||||
| Interest paid | (315 | ) | (238 | ) | (90 | ) | (56 | ) | ||||
| Taxes (paid) received, net | (13 | ) | (13 | ) | 6 | (6 | ) | |||||
| Net cash used in operating activities | $ | (24,839 | ) | $ | (19,514 | ) | $ | (8,205 | ) | $ | (6,871 | ) |
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CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS
U.S. dollars in thousands
| Year ended<br><br> <br>December 31, | Three months ended<br><br> <br>December 31, | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 2020 | 2021 | 2020 | |||||||||
| (Unaudited) | (Audited) | (Unaudited) | ||||||||||
| Cash flows from investing activities | ||||||||||||
| Purchase of property, plant and equipment | $ | (724 | ) | $ | (682 | ) | $ | (137 | ) | $ | (103 | ) |
| Proceeds from sale of marketable securities | 4,395 | 2,097 | 3,378 | - | ||||||||
| Purchase of marketable securities | (23,114 | ) | - | (1,710 | ) | - | ||||||
| Withdrawal from (investment in) bank deposits, net | (1,000 | ) | 8,000 | 600 | - | |||||||
| Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities | (20,443 | ) | 9,415 | 2,131 | (103 | ) | ||||||
| Cash flows from financing activities | ||||||||||||
| Proceeds from issuance of ordinary shares, net of issuance expenses | 29,582 | 18,658 | - | 8,857 | ||||||||
| Proceeds from issuance of pre-funded warrants | - | 1,989 | - | 1,989 | ||||||||
| Proceeds from advances for pre-funded warrants | - | 9 | - | 9 | ||||||||
| Proceeds from exercise of options | 484 | 59 | 8 | 46 | ||||||||
| Repayment of lease liability | (580 | ) | (639 | ) | (143 | ) | (155 | ) | ||||
| Proceeds from government grants | 824 | 320 | 32 | - | ||||||||
| Repayment of government grants | (34 | ) | (22 | ) | - | - | ||||||
| Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities | 30,276 | 20,374 | (103 | ) | 10,746 | |||||||
| Exchange rate differences - cash and cash equivalent balances | 1,102 | 1,206 | 869 | 963 | ||||||||
| Increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents | (13,904 | ) | 11,481 | (5,308 | ) | 4,735 | ||||||
| Cash and cash equivalents beginning of the period | 46,229 | 34,748 | 37,633 | 41,494 | ||||||||
| Cash and cash equivalents end of the period | $ | 32,325 | $ | 46,229 | $ | 32,325 | $ | 46,229 | ||||
| Significant non-cash activities | ||||||||||||
| Acquisition of property, plant and equipment | $ | 32 | $ | 57 | $ | 32 | $ | 57 | ||||
| Increase (decrease) of right-of-use-asset recognized with corresponding lease liability | $ | 794 | $ | (41 | ) | $ | 53 | $ | (18 | ) | ||
| Exercise of options | $ | - | $ | 57 | $ | - | $ | 57 | ||||
| Exercise of pre-funded warrants | $ | 4,356 | $ | - | $ | - | $ | - |
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Exhibit 99.2
INVESTORpresentation March 2022 Ofer Haviv, President & CEO
Forward Looking Statement This presentation contains "forward-looking statements" relating to future events, and Evogene 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 (the “PSLRA”) 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, as well as the capabilities of Evogene’s and our 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, those described in greater detail in Evogene's Annual Report on Form 20-F and in other information Evogene 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 Evogene 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 Evogene or the Company.The trademarks included herein are the property of the owners thereof and are used for reference purposes only. Such use should not be construed as an endorsement of our products or services. 2
Agenda IntroductionFields of activityMain subsidiariesSummary 3 Annex I - TechnologyAnnex II - Financial Fundamentals
Our Vision 4 DECODING BIOLOGY Revolutionizing life-science based product discovery & development, utilizing cutting edge computational biology technologies.
Life-science product development Low probability of success with high cost and long time-to-market Pharmaceutical Industry Ag-chemicalsIndustry In the 1970’s 2000’s – 2017 $180 million Cost of developing a single pharmaceutical drug $2.7 billion Time to develop a new crop protection product 1995 2000 2005-8 2010-15 Number of years between the first synthesis and first sale of product 8.3 9.1 9.8 11.3 Sources: CDER (Center for Drug Evaluation and Research), Food and Drug Administration, Tufts Center for the Study of Drug Development: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0167629616000291?via%3Dihubhttps://www.forbes.com/sites/matthewherper/2017/10/16/the-cost-of-developing-drugs-is-insane-a-paper-that-argued-otherwise-was-insanely-bad/?sh=7533aa82d459 Source: Phillips McDougall, 2016
Life-science product development The ultimate case of a needle in the haystack Regulation Development Optimization Discovery Agriculture xxx xxx Pharma 6 ApprovedProduct Product Candidates The challenge: Finding the winning candidates out of a vast number of possible prospects, that address a complex myriad of criteria to reach successful products
Utilizing an advanced computational biology platform, to identify the most promising candidates addressing multiple development challenges, towards successful life-science products:Increase probability of success Reducing time and cost 7 HUMAN HEALTH Agriculture Other Industries The opportunity
When biology meetsdisruptive technologies platform 8 BIG DATA BIOLOGY AI Incorporating deep scientific understandings together with big data and advanced artificial intelligence technologies (AI), to successfully discover & guide the development of novel life-science based products. – Computational Predictive Biology
Tailor-made Engines for product discovery & development The CPB platform enhances product discovery and development through dedicated Engines for products based on three core components:MicrobesSmall molecules Genetic elements 9 MICROBES GENETIC ELEMENTS SMALL MOLECULES
10 AGRICULTURE & FOOD PHARMA & WELLNESS OTHER INDUSTRIES PlasticDegradation Chemicals Source forEnzymes Oil SpillClearing WastewaterTreatments Microbialsfor Crops Food Human &Animal Probiotics Therapeuticmicrobials Probiotics DietarySupplements Developing an eco-system around our tech engines Case Study – Potential uses for MicroBoost AI
11 User Interface
Product-oriented subsidiaries powered by Evogene’s technologyEstablish independent entities focusing on a defined commercial field with an exclusive license to use Evogene’s unique solutions for product development. 12 Business Model Microbiome based therapeutics Medical cannabis Ag-solutions for castor Ag-chemicals Ag-biologicals 1 Licensed to use Evogene’s technological engines: Subsidiaries:
13 Business Model Collaborations powered by Evogene’s technology for the development of innovative productsJoint development with leading companies for defined products utilizing Evogene’s unique solution. Typically, partner leads later-stage development and product commercialization. 2 Powered by Evogene’s technological engines: Collaborations for product development:
Agenda IntroductionFields of activityMain subsidiariesSummary 14 Annex I - TechnologyAnnex II - Financial Fundamentals
15 Current life-science based products powered by Evogene’s tech-engines OTHER INDUSTRIES AGRICULTURE HUMAN HEALTH Ag-Biologicals MicrobiomebasedTherapeutics MICROBES Ag-Chemicals Drugs based on small molecules SMALL MOLECULES Ag-solutionsfor castoroil production Seed Traits MedicalCannabis GENETIC ELEMENTS
16 OTHER INDUSTRIES AGRICULTURE HUMAN HEALTH MICROBES SMALL MOLECULES GENETIC ELEMENTS Seed Traits [division] * * Non-exclusive license Development & commercialization through subsidiaries and collaborations
Evogene Group 17 *Evogene holdings Other Industries 100%* Castor Oil ProductionCastor seeds &growth protocols HumanHealth Microbiome basedTherapeuticsImmuno-oncologyGI- gastrointestinal- related disordersMDRO – multi-drug resistant organisms Medical CannabisHigh yield & consumer traitsTherapeutic traits – currently inflammation & pain 93%* 100%* Seed TraitsYield improvement and drought tolerancePlant diseaseInsect control Agriculture Ag ChemicalsHerbicidesInsecticidesFungicides Ag BiologicalsBio-StimulantsBio-Pesticides 98%* 70%* (28% Corteva) Internal division of Evogene
Microbiome Based Therapeutics Medical Cannabis Ag-Biologicals Ag-Chemicals Company Name Market Cap/Funds Raised Company Name Market Cap/Funds Raised Company Name Market Cap/Funds Raised Company Name Market Cap/Funds Raised $166m* $1.6B* Raised $116m# (Sep 2021) Raised $24m#(Jan 2017) $320m* $4.3B* €192m* Raised $45m# (June 2020) $651m* $141m* $126m* Raised $55m# (Feb 2020) $68m* $290m* Raised $430m$2.0B## rep.(July 2021) Raised $10m#(Oct 2021) Main Subsidiaries: Industry Landscape 18 * Public company – market cap as of March 9, 2022 (yahoo.finance.com) # Private company – amount raised in most recent financing round (crunchbase.com)## Private company - https://www.forbes.com/sites/amyfeldman/2021/07/19/pivot-bio-nears-2-billion-valuation-as-it-raises-whopping-430-million-to-replace-synthetic-fertilizers-on-corn-and-wheat-sustainability/?sh=96ed3572273a The table presents valuation or amount raised in last financing round for a selected number of companies active in the same industries as our subsidiaries, is not a comprehensive list, and is presented for informational purposes only. There may be significant differences between companies active in each industry, and therefore the table does not indicate potential value for our subsidiaries, which may have no correlation to the information presented in the table and may differ significantly. Such differences may include, among others, company maturity stage, volume of sales, if any, product types, target market segments, pipeline maturity, technology, and financial position.
Agenda IntroductionFields of activityMain subsidiariesSummary 19 Annex I - TechnologyAnnex II - Financial Fundamentals
20 Immuno-oncology program:Combination therapy for cancer with checkpoint inhibitorsPre-clinical stageAddressable market size expected by 2026* – $243BGI related disorders:Inflammatory Bowel Disorder (IBD) – pre-clinical stageIrritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) – discovery stageAddressable market size expected by 2026: Inflammatory Bowel Disorder $22.4B, Irritable Bowel Syndrome** $3.3BMDRO:Multi Drug Resistant Organisms (antimicrobial resistance)Clostridium Difficile Infection (CDI) – discovery stageMethicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) – discovery stageAddressable market size expected by 2026: CDI*** $1.7B, MRSA**** $3.9B Mission:Discovery and development of novel therapies for microbiome-related human disorders using computational biology 2022IBD - initiate scale-up for GMP production of drug candidate for IBDImmuno-oncology - readout from proof of concept, first in human study2023IBD - Clinical batch production of drug candidate for IBD as preparation for Phase 1 in USA Immuno-oncology - Pre-IND Meeting with FDA Product Pipeline: | Human Microbiome *https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2019/07/17/1884118/0/en/Cancer-Immunotherapy-Market-To-Reach-USD-242-86-Billion-By-2026-Reports-And-Data.html**https://www.grandviewresearch.com/press-release/global-inflammatory-bowel-disease-ibd-treatment-market?utm_source=blog.goo.ne.jp&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=Vrushali_7Aug_hc_InflammatoryBowelDiseaseTreatmentMarket_pr&utm_content=Content;
https://www.grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/inflammatory-bowel-disease-ibd-treatment-market#:~:text=Report%20Overview,4.4%25%20from%202018%20to%202026..,
https://www.bloomberg.com/press-releases/2019-07-23/ibs-treatment-market-size-worth-3-3-billion-by-2026-cagr-10-1-grand-view-research-inc\*\*\*https://www.grandviewresearch.com/press-release/global-inflammatory-bowel-disease-ibd-treatment-market?utm\_source=blog.goo.ne.jp&utm\_medium=referral&utm\_campaign=Vrushali\_7Aug\_hc\_InflammatoryBowelDiseaseTreatmentMarket\_pr&utm\_content=Content;
https://www.grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/inflammatory-bowel-disease-ibd-treatment-market#:~:text=Report%20Overview,4.4%25%20from%202018%20to%202026..www.globaldata.com/global-clostridium-difficile-infections-market-approach-1-7-billion-2026/\*\*\*\*www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/global-methicillin-resistant-staphylococcus-aureus-mrsa-drugs-market-to-reach-over-us-39-billion-by-2025-upsurge-in-the-consumption-of-antibiotics-across-the-globe-to-fuel-market-growth-observes-transparency-market-research-676949593.html Expected
main near-term value drivers: Powered by
21 Example Results: Improved antitumor activity in mice following the administration of BMC128, compared to treatment with immunotherapy alone Immuno-Oncology program – BMC128 potentiate the effect of anti-PD-1 therapy (immunotherapy) in-vivo | Human Microbiome
22 MetaYield+ Products:Stable enhancement of total plant compounds:Increased compounds per plantIncreased compounds per areaTotal Cannabis market size expected by 2024 – $42.7B* Precise+ Products:Stable enhancement of specific active compounds for pain and inflammation: Medical indication focusCompound profile focusTotal Medical Cannabis market size expected by 2024 – $25.6B* 2022MetaYield+ - commercial launch and sales of second- generation products in IsraelPrecise + - Collect clinical data to support commercial launch in 2023 of variety reducing pain or inflammation2023MetaYield+ - commercial launch and initial sales of first product in EuropePrecise+ - Commercial launch of variety reducing pain or inflammation Product Pipeline: | Medical Cannabis *Source: Arcview Market research/BDS Analytics 2020 Expected main near-term value drivers: Powered by Mission:Commercialize effective, precise and stable medical cannabis products, based on decoding plant genetics, for optimized therapeutic effect
23 First Products: Medical Cannabis aiming at high THC, high yield, big inflorescence and dense trichomes MetaYield products– increased compounds per area, addressing the T20/C4 (17%-24% THC & 1%-7% CBD) and T15/C3 (11%-19% THC & 0.5%-5.5% CBD) market segments. | Medical Cannabis
24 Herbicides:Novel MoA (Mode-of-Action) selective/non-selective herbicidesRelevant target crops – Cereals, Rice, Corn, Soybean, Cotton, Canola, Sugar Beet, Other TBDAddressable market size expected by 2022*: $34BLead stage Insecticides:Novel SoA (Site-of-Action)Addressable market size expected by 2022*: $19BHit-to-Lead stage 2022New MoA Herbicide – enter an additional collaboration agreement New MoA Herbicide – expand data package for APTH1, AgPlenus’ leading new MoA protein for the development of novel herbicides 2023New MoA Herbicide – phase advancement in one of the ongoing collaborationsNew MoA Fungicide program – initial greenhouse readouts Product Pipeline: | Ag-Chemicals *https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/global-3410-billion-herbicide-market-2022---research-and-markets-300458389.html; https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/insecticide-market-142427569.html Expected main near-term value drivers: Powered by Mission:Design next-generation, effective and sustainable crop protection products by leveraging predictive biology & chemistry
25 Field test of APH1 against a panel of grass and broadleaf weeds – untreated control vs APH1 |
Ag-Chemicals Greenhouse testing of APH1 – modified tobacco plants with resistance trait vs unmodified control \(weed\) Example Results: New MoA Herbicide - APH1
26 | Ag-Biologicals Bio-stimulants (yield enhancement):Bio-stimulants 1– focus on wheat and additional cereals. Seed treatment/soil application. Commercial stage, first sales planned in 2022. Addressable market size*: for spring wheat ±25M acres.Bio-stimulants 2 – focus on corn and additional crops. Seed treatment. Pre-development stage. Addressable market size*: for corn – 120M acres.Bio-pesticides (crop protection):Fruit rots – focus on fruit and vegetables. Foliar application. Target market*: >$1B of chemicals usage. Development stage 2.Downey Mildew – Focus on fruit and vegetables. Foliar application. Development stage 1. Target market*: >$350M of chemicals usage. Seedling disease – for corn and soy. Seed treatment. pre-development stage. Target market*: >$500M.Bio-insecticides – for corn and soy. Seed treatment/foliar. Pre-development stage. Target market *: >$1.5B existing traits & chemicals market. 2022Bio-stimulants – build infrastructure for scale-up in ‘result™’ sales for spring wheat in 2023Fruit rot bio-fungicides – file for regulatory approval for leading product candidate LAV311 for fruit rot 2023Bio-stimulants – ‘result™’ product sales expansion in US and Canada for spring wheatBio-fungicides - file for regulatory approval for leading product candidate LAV321 or LAV322 for downy mildew Product Pipeline: *Dean ,R ,.et al. (2012). The top 10 fungal pathogens in molecular plant pathology. Molecular Plant Pathology 13:414-430 (https://academic.oup.com/fqs/article/2/3/111/5057759) Expected main near-term value drivers: Powered by Mission:Improve food quality, sustainability and agriculture productivity through microbiome based ag-biologicals technology and products
27 | Ag-Biologicals Example of treatment against Botrytis Cinerea in vines – untreated control vs treated vines Lavie Bio’s wheat field in the USA during harvest – initial sales in 2022 Example Results: - result™ inoculant (bio-stimulant)- LAV 311 & LAV 312 leading bio-fungicide candidates for fruit rot
SubsidiariesExpected main near-term value drivers 2022 2023 IBD – initiate scale-up for GMP production of drug candidate for IBD Immuno-oncology – readout from proof-of-concept, first in human study IBD – clinical batch production of drug candidate for IBD as preparation for Phase 1 clinical trials in USA Immuno-oncology – pre-IND meeting with FDA MetaYield – commercial launch of second- generation products in Israel Precise – collect user data for clinical indications to support commercial launch in 2023 MetaYield – commercial launch of first product in Europe Precise – commercial launch of first product in Israel New MoA herbicides – enter an additional collaboration agreement New MoA herbicide – expand data package for APTH1, AgPlenus’ leading new MoA protein for the development of novel herbicides New MoA herbicides – reach milestone in one of the ongoing collaborations New MoA fungicide – initial greenhouse readouts Bio-stimulants – build infrastructure for scale-up in ‘result™’ sales for spring wheat in 2023 Bio-fungicides – file for regulatory approval for leading product candidate LAV311 for fruit rot Bio-stimulants – ‘result™’ product sales expansion in US and Canada for spring wheat Bio-fungicides - file for regulatory approval for leading product candidate LAV321 or LAV322 for downy mildew 28
Agenda IntroductionFields of activityMain subsidiariesSummary 29 Annex I - TechnologyAnnex II - Financial Fundamentals
140 30 30 56 Employees % PhDs % Women Computational systems biology Molecular biology Genetics Computational chemistry Microbiology Biochemistry Bioinformatics Incl. chairpersonof the board
31 Summary Our vision - Revolutionizing life-science based product discovery & development, utilizing cutting edge computational biology technologies. CPB platform - a unique technology platform stemming from the incorporation of deep scientific understandings of biology together with big-data and artificial intelligence technologies The CPB’s three unique engines target to improve the development of products based on the following core components:MicroBoost AI – for products based on microbesChemPass AI – for products based on small moleculesGeneRator AI – for products based on genetic elements Four main market-oriented subsidiaries, each with a clear milestone roadmap: Biomica – human-microbiome based therapeuticsCanonic – medical cannabisAgPlenus – ag-chemicalsLavie Bio – ag-biologicals Dual based business model - utilizing Evogene’s solutions for:Product development & commercialization through subsidiariesProduct development & commercialization through collaborations Significant catalysts expected in the next 12 months across the subsidiaries and in Evogene’s technological offering
THANK You!
Annex I:Technology 33
34 Efficacy Safety Selectivity Shelf-life Other ProductLaunch Candidate Selection ProductDefinition Discovery Development The challenge in creatinglife-science based products
35 Candidate Selection ProductDefinition Common practiceDiscovery – selection of product candidates mainly addressing efficacy The challenge in creatinglife-science based products Efficacy Safety Selectivity Shelf-life Other ProductLaunch
36 Candidate Selection ProductDefinition Low probability of successLong time to marketHigh development costs Development – inefficient optimization & difficulty in addressing a single challenge without impairing others The challenge in creatinglife-science based products Efficacy Safety Selectivity Shelf-life Other ProductLaunch Common practiceDiscovery – selection of product candidates mainly addressing efficacy
Evogene’s AI-based solution:Discovery 37 Candidate Selection ProductDefinition A multi-attribute computational selection of product candidates, addressing relevant challenges using dedicated training data sets and AI. Efficacy Safety Selectivity Shelf-life Other ProductLaunch
Evogene’s AI-based solution:Development 38 Candidate Selection ProductDefinition A multi-attribute computational analysis, addressing a specific development challenge of the selected candidate, without impairing its ability to address other product attributes. Efficacy Safety Selectivity Shelf-life Other ProductLaunch
39 Evogene’s AI engines provide tailor-made solutions Development Computational driven solution for guiding and assessing the optimization process of the selected core component, without impairing other key product attributes. DiscoveryComputational prediction of candidates, to serve as the product’s core-component, addressing multiple key product attributes.
Annex II:Financial Fundamentals 40
Key Financials:Balance Sheet Key Points:Consolidated cash position: ~$54 million as of 31.12.2021, of which ~$8 million is appropriated to Lavie BioNo bank debtListed on TASE (2007) and NASDAQ (2016) 1 Thousands of US $ 31.12.2021 31.12.2020 Current Assets 56,890 51,823 Long-Term Assets 19,414 20,092 Total Assets 76,304 71,915 Current Liabilities 6,882 9,676 Long-Term Liabilities 6,002 5,357 Equity attributable to equity holders of the Company 54,031 46,045 Non-controlling interest 9,389 10,837 Total Liabilities & Shareholders Equity 76,304 71,915 1