Evolva and Valent sign bioactives development agreement

Evolva and Valent BioSciences Corp. (VBC) announced in March they have signed an exclusive agreement to co-develop and market a class of high-value active ingredients for use as next-generation agricultural bioactives.

The companies said the ingredients are not being identified for competitive reasons. Evolva will develop the yeast strains to make the desired ingredients, and VBC will commercialize them. The companies will work together on scale-up and manufacturing, with the first products expected be marketed in four to five years.

Use of bioactives is growing because they help growers improve crop yields without any negative impact on human health or the environment. They are used in both organic and conventional agriculture and horticulture and play an important part in sustainable farming.