The new application, TargetSelector, streamlines target-protein discovery and enables researchers in various industries to identify novel targets for innovative products
Rehovot, July 25, 2023 — Evogene Ltd. (Nasdaq: EVGN, TASE: EVGN), a leading computational biology company targeting to revolutionize life-science product discovery and development across multiple market segments, is proud to announce the latest addition to its ChemPass AI tech-engine – a breakthrough technology for target-protein discovery. The integration of TargetSelector, a new application that streamlines target-protein discovery for active molecule identification, assists researchers in finding suitable target proteins for new products while reducing development time, resources and most importantly, increasing the probability of success.
Proteins play a fundamental role in a wide array of biological processes and serve as the primary targets for developing innovative therapeutics, ag-chemical, ag-biological, and other life science solutions. The precise identification of these protein targets is pivotal in advancing research and discovery across various domains, including pharmaceuticals, agriculture, and environmental applications.
The challenge of finding a target-protein that is novel, safe, and druggable from the thousands of proteins in a relevant organism is enormous. Leveraging predictive machine learning algorithms and genomic data, users gain valuable insights into product requirements such as homology, druggability, essentiality, and biological pathways, efficiently narrowing down the list of potential target-protein, thus optimizing the discovery process.
“ChemPass AI tech-engine is a cutting-edge platform for the identification of small molecules. The addition of the TargetSelector application now enables a broader scope of finding the optimal target-protein for these molecules,” said Dr. Nir Arbel, CPO at Evogene. “Our subsidiary AgPlenus, which focuses on developing ag chemicals, will be the first to benefit from this new improvement, applying it to identify novel mechanisms of action for pesticides. I believe that this significant advancement in Evogene’s ChemPass AI tech-engine, positions us to forge strategic partnerships with industry leaders, unlocking innovation, expediting product development, and delivering groundbreaking solutions that tackle pressing global challenges.”
About ChemPass AI:
ChemPass AI tech engine is a cutting-edge computational platform for discovering and optimizing small molecules for various life-science products, such as therapeutics and ag-chemicals. Developed at the intersection of docking techniques and machine learning, ChemPass AI brings together the power of artificial intelligence, predictive biology, and molecular interactions to accelerate target-protein and active molecule discovery processes like never before.
ChemPass AI has been trained on vast repositories of molecular data encompassing diverse chemical structures and biological targets. This wealth of knowledge empowers the platform to recognize intricate patterns, subtle interactions, and complex relationships between small molecules and their target-proteins. As a result, ChemPass AI can rapidly evaluate an organism’s protein set (proteome) as well as billions of potential candidates, ranking them according to their likelihood of success and shortening the time needed to identify promising target-proteins and leads (small molecules).
About Evogene:
Evogene Ltd. (Nasdaq: EVGN, TASE: EVGN) is a computational biology company leveraging big data and artificial intelligence, aiming to revolutionize the development of life-science based products by utilizing cutting-edge technologies to increase the probability of success while reducing development time and cost.
Evogene established three unique tech-engines – MicroBoost AI, ChemPass AI and GeneRator AI. Each tech-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 tech-engines to develop products through strategic partnerships and collaborations, and its five subsidiaries including:
- Biomica Ltd. (www.biomicamed.com) developing and advancing novel microbiome-based therapeutics to treat human disorders powered by MicroBoost AI;
- Lavie Bio (www.lavie-bio.com) – developing and commercially advancing, microbiome based ag-biologicals powered by MicroBoost AI;
- AgPlenus Ltd. (www.agplenus.com) -developing next generation ag chemicals for effective and sustainable crop protection powered by ChemPass AI;
- Canonic (www.canonicbio.com) – developing medical cannabis products based on decoding plant genetics for optimized therapeutic effect powered by GeneRator AI; and
- Casterra Ag (www.casterra.co)– developing and marketing superior castor seed varieties producing high yield and high-grade oil content, on an industrial scale for the biofuel and other industries powered by GeneRator AI.
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”, “demonstrates” or words of similar meaning. For example, Evogene and its subsidiaries are using forward-looking statement in this press release when it discusses TargetSelector’s ability to assist researchers in finding suitable target proteins for new products while reducing development time, resources and increasing the probability of success, TargetSelector’s ability to enable a broader scope of finding the optimal protein target for hit small molecules, AgPlenus’ success in identifying novel mechanism of action pesticides, and ChemPass AI’s ability to accelerate drug discovery processes by reducing the time and resources required. 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.
Contacts
Rachel Pomerantz Gerber
Head of Investor Relations at Evogene
Tel: +972-8-9311901