{"success":true,"data":{"pressRelease":{"id":"95150","rtpr_id":"nPn6LFcYxa","ticker":"EVGN","exchange":"NASDAQ","all_tickers":["EVGN"],"title":"Evogene Ltd. and ELEO Inc. Announce Collaboration to Develop Next-Generation Oral Small-Molecule PCSK9 Pathway Inhibitors for Hyperlipidemia and Cardiovascular Diseases","author":"PR Newswire","published_at":"2026-07-22T12:00:02.376Z","article_body":"Evogene Ltd. and ELEO Inc. Announce Collaboration to Develop Next-Generation Oral Small-Molecule PCSK9 Pathway Inhibitors for Hyperlipidemia and Cardiovascular Diseases\n\nPR Newswire\n\nREHOVOT, Israel and DAEJEON, South Korea, July 22, 2026\n\nCollaboration combines Evogene's AI-driven computational chemistry platform\nwith ELEO's proprietary biological capabilities to accelerate the discovery of\nnovel oral therapies targeting a multi-billion-dollar cardiovascular market\nopportunity\n\nREHOVOT, Israel and DAEJEON, South Korea, July 22, 2026 /PRNewswire/ --\nEvogene Ltd. (Nasdaq: EVGN) (TASE: EVGN), a pioneering computational chemistry\ncompany specializing in the generative design of small molecules for the\npharmaceutical and agricultural industries, and ELEO Inc., a South Korean\nbiotechnology company focused on developing innovative therapies for chronic\nand difficult-to-treat diseases, today announced a strategic scientific\ncollaboration to discover and develop next-generation oral small-molecule\ninhibitors targeting the PCSK9 pathway for the treatment of hyperlipidemia and\ncardiovascular diseases.\n\n \nCardiovascular disease remains the leading cause of mortality worldwide, with\nelevated LDL cholesterol levels serving as a major modifiable risk factor.\nWhile currently approved PCSK9 (proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9)\ntherapies have demonstrated significant clinical efficacy, their injectable\ndelivery format, high cost, and access limitations continue to create\nsubstantial unmet patient and market needs. Emerging oral approaches are\nadvancing through clinical development; however, there remains a significant\nopportunity for differentiated, next-generation oral small molecules with\nimproved potency, safety, bioavailability, and patient accessibility.\n\nThe global PCSK9 inhibitor market is projected to expand from approximately\n$4.4 billion in 2025 to more than $23 billion by 2035(1), representing a\nsignificant commercial opportunity. Through this collaboration, Evogene and\nELEO will leverage their complementary capabilities to identify, generate, and\nvalidate novel oral small-molecule candidates targeting the PCSK9 pathway.\n\nUnder the collaboration, Evogene will utilize its proprietary ChemPass AI™\nplatform, its advanced computational chemistry engine designed for generative\nmolecular design, to create, optimize, and prioritize novel small-molecule\ncandidates based on critical drug development parameters, including oral\npotency, bioavailability, selectivity, and drug-like properties. ELEO will\ncontribute its proprietary biological expertise, including target validation\ncapabilities, PCSK9 expression suppression models, and screening platforms, to\nexperimentally validate and refine computationally designed candidates.\n\nThis integrated approach is intended to accelerate the discovery process,\nimprove candidate selection, and advance the most promising molecules toward\npreclinical development.\n\nThe parties intend to explore potential strategic opportunities, including\nclinical development pathways, licensing collaborations, and partnerships with\nglobal pharmaceutical companies seeking innovative solutions in the\ncardiovascular disease market.\n\nDr. Kyungseop Ahn, CEO and Co-founder of ELEO Inc., commented: \"At ELEO, our\ndiscovery approach is rooted in the rich bioactive potential of natural\nproducts. This foundation has led us to identify a PCSK9 inhibitor candidate\nwith a novel mechanism for addressing hyperlipidemia and related\ncardiovascular diseases. We are excited to combine this biological insight\nwith Evogene's ChemPass AI™ platform to advance a new generation of oral\nsmall-molecule PCSK9 inhibitor candidates that could meaningfully expand\ntreatment options for patients with atherosclerosis.\"\n\nOfer Haviv, President and CEO of Evogene, stated: \"This collaboration with\nELEO represents a compelling opportunity to apply Evogene's advanced AI-driven\ncomputational capabilities to one of the most significant therapeutic areas in\ncardiovascular medicine. ELEO brings important biological expertise and a\npromising approach to targeting the PCSK9 pathway, while our ChemPass AI™\nplatform is uniquely positioned to design and optimize challenging\nsmall-molecule candidates. Together, we aim to advance differentiated,\nnext-generation therapeutic candidates with significant potential value for\nfuture strategic partners and the global healthcare market.\"\n\nAbout Evogene Ltd.\n\nEvogene Ltd. (Nasdaq: EVGN) (TASE: EVGN) is a pioneering company in\ncomputational specializing in the generative design of small molecules for\ndrug development and ag-chemical products. At the core of its technology is\nChemPass AI™ a proprietary generative AI designed to explore vast chemical\nspace and generate novel, highly potent small molecules optimized across\nmultiple critical parameters. Built on this powerful technological foundation,\nand through strategic partnerships alongside internal product development,\nEvogene is focused on products for the pharmaceutical and agricultural\nindustries, driven by the integration of scientific innovation with real-world\nindustry needs.\n\nFor more information, please visit www.evogene.com (http://www.evogene.com/) .\n\nAbout ELEO Inc.\n\nELEO Inc. is a South Korean biopharmaceutical company dedicated to discovering\nand developing innovative oral therapeutics rooted in natural product science.\nBy combining deep expertise in natural product pharmacology and target\nidentification with modern drug discovery platforms, ELEO pursues novel\nmechanisms of action for chronic and intractable diseases where significant\nunmet medical needs remain.\n\nForward-Looking Statements\n\nThis press release contains \"forward-looking statements\" within the meaning of\nthe Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 relating to future\nevents. These statements may be identified by words such as \"may,\" \"could,\"\n\"expects,\" \"hopes,\" \"intends,\" \"anticipates,\" \"plans,\" \"believes,\"\n\"scheduled,\" \"estimates,\" \"demonstrates\", \"designed to,\" \"intended to,\" \"with\nthe goal of,\" or words of similar meaning. For example, Evogene uses\nforward-looking statements in this press release when it discusses: the\ncollaboration to discover and develop next-generation oral small-molecule\ninhibitors targeting the PCSK9 pathway for the treatment of hyperlipidemia and\ncardiovascular diseases; the collaboration to accelerate innovation, reduce\ndevelopment timelines, and enhance the potential for successful translation\ninto clinically meaningful therapies; and potential strategic opportunities,\nincluding clinical development pathways, licensing collaborations, and\npartnerships with global pharmaceutical companies. Such statements are based\non current expectations, estimates, projections and assumptions, describe\nopinions about future events, involve certain risks and uncertainties which\nare difficult to predict and are not guarantees of future performance.\nTherefore, actual future results, performance or achievements of Evogene and\nits subsidiaries may differ materially from what is expressed or implied by\nsuch forward-looking statements due to a variety of factors, many of which are\nbeyond the control of Evogene and its subsidiaries, including, without\nlimitation, the aftermath of the recent wars between Israel and each of (i)\nthe terrorist groups, Hamas and Hezbollah, (ii) Iran, and (iii) other regional\nterrorist groups supported by Iran, and any potential destabilizations in\nIsrael, neighboring territories or the Middle East region, and those\nadditional risk factors contained in Evogene's reports filed with the\napplicable securities authority.  In addition, Evogene and its subsidiaries\nrely, and expect to continue to rely, on third parties to conduct certain\nactivities, such as their and pre-clinical studies, and if these third parties\ndo not successfully carry out their contractual duties, comply with regulatory\nrequirements or meet expected deadlines, Evogene and its subsidiaries may\nexperience significant delays in the conduct of their activities. Evogene and\nits subsidiaries disclaim any obligation or commitment to update these\nforward-looking statements to reflect future events or developments or changes\nin expectations, estimates, projections and assumptions.\n\nInvestor Relations Contact:\n\nir@evogene.com (mailto:ir@evogene.com)\nTel: +972-8-9311901\n\nView original\ncontent:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/evogene-ltd-and-eleo-inc-announce-collaboration-to-develop-next-generation-oral-small-molecule-pcsk9-pathway-inhibitors-for-hyperlipidemia-and-cardiovascular-diseases-302832108.html\n(https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/evogene-ltd-and-eleo-inc-announce-collaboration-to-develop-next-generation-oral-small-molecule-pcsk9-pathway-inhibitors-for-hyperlipidemia-and-cardiovascular-diseases-302832108.html)\n\nSOURCE Evogene; ELEO Inc.\n\n\n\nPhoto: \nhttps://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1947468/Evogene.jpg\nhttps://mmx.prnewswire.com/media/MS1890884/ELEO.jpg?id=OA2779240\n\nCopyright (c) 2026 PR Newswire Association,LLC. All Rights Reserved.","article_body_html":"","raw_payload":{"data":{"id":"nPn6LFcYxa","title":"Evogene Ltd. and ELEO Inc. Announce Collaboration to Develop Next-Generation Oral Small-Molecule PCSK9 Pathway Inhibitors for Hyperlipidemia and Cardiovascular Diseases","author":"PR Newswire","ticker":"EVGN","created":"2026-07-22T12:00:02.376Z","tickers":["EVGN"],"exchange":"NASDAQ","article_body":"Evogene Ltd. and ELEO Inc. Announce Collaboration to Develop Next-Generation Oral Small-Molecule PCSK9 Pathway Inhibitors for Hyperlipidemia and Cardiovascular Diseases\n\nPR Newswire\n\nREHOVOT, Israel and DAEJEON, South Korea, July 22, 2026\n\nCollaboration combines Evogene's AI-driven computational chemistry platform\nwith ELEO's proprietary biological capabilities to accelerate the discovery of\nnovel oral therapies targeting a multi-billion-dollar cardiovascular market\nopportunity\n\nREHOVOT, Israel and DAEJEON, South Korea, July 22, 2026 /PRNewswire/ --\nEvogene Ltd. (Nasdaq: EVGN) (TASE: EVGN), a pioneering computational chemistry\ncompany specializing in the generative design of small molecules for the\npharmaceutical and agricultural industries, and ELEO Inc., a South Korean\nbiotechnology company focused on developing innovative therapies for chronic\nand difficult-to-treat diseases, today announced a strategic scientific\ncollaboration to discover and develop next-generation oral small-molecule\ninhibitors targeting the PCSK9 pathway for the treatment of hyperlipidemia and\ncardiovascular diseases.\n\n \nCardiovascular disease remains the leading cause of mortality worldwide, with\nelevated LDL cholesterol levels serving as a major modifiable risk factor.\nWhile currently approved PCSK9 (proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9)\ntherapies have demonstrated significant clinical efficacy, their injectable\ndelivery format, high cost, and access limitations continue to create\nsubstantial unmet patient and market needs. Emerging oral approaches are\nadvancing through clinical development; however, there remains a significant\nopportunity for differentiated, next-generation oral small molecules with\nimproved potency, safety, bioavailability, and patient accessibility.\n\nThe global PCSK9 inhibitor market is projected to expand from approximately\n$4.4 billion in 2025 to more than $23 billion by 2035(1), representing a\nsignificant commercial opportunity. Through this collaboration, Evogene and\nELEO will leverage their complementary capabilities to identify, generate, and\nvalidate novel oral small-molecule candidates targeting the PCSK9 pathway.\n\nUnder the collaboration, Evogene will utilize its proprietary ChemPass AI™\nplatform, its advanced computational chemistry engine designed for generative\nmolecular design, to create, optimize, and prioritize novel small-molecule\ncandidates based on critical drug development parameters, including oral\npotency, bioavailability, selectivity, and drug-like properties. ELEO will\ncontribute its proprietary biological expertise, including target validation\ncapabilities, PCSK9 expression suppression models, and screening platforms, to\nexperimentally validate and refine computationally designed candidates.\n\nThis integrated approach is intended to accelerate the discovery process,\nimprove candidate selection, and advance the most promising molecules toward\npreclinical development.\n\nThe parties intend to explore potential strategic opportunities, including\nclinical development pathways, licensing collaborations, and partnerships with\nglobal pharmaceutical companies seeking innovative solutions in the\ncardiovascular disease market.\n\nDr. Kyungseop Ahn, CEO and Co-founder of ELEO Inc., commented: \"At ELEO, our\ndiscovery approach is rooted in the rich bioactive potential of natural\nproducts. This foundation has led us to identify a PCSK9 inhibitor candidate\nwith a novel mechanism for addressing hyperlipidemia and related\ncardiovascular diseases. We are excited to combine this biological insight\nwith Evogene's ChemPass AI™ platform to advance a new generation of oral\nsmall-molecule PCSK9 inhibitor candidates that could meaningfully expand\ntreatment options for patients with atherosclerosis.\"\n\nOfer Haviv, President and CEO of Evogene, stated: \"This collaboration with\nELEO represents a compelling opportunity to apply Evogene's advanced AI-driven\ncomputational capabilities to one of the most significant therapeutic areas in\ncardiovascular medicine. ELEO brings important biological expertise and a\npromising approach to targeting the PCSK9 pathway, while our ChemPass AI™\nplatform is uniquely positioned to design and optimize challenging\nsmall-molecule candidates. Together, we aim to advance differentiated,\nnext-generation therapeutic candidates with significant potential value for\nfuture strategic partners and the global healthcare market.\"\n\nAbout Evogene Ltd.\n\nEvogene Ltd. (Nasdaq: EVGN) (TASE: EVGN) is a pioneering company in\ncomputational specializing in the generative design of small molecules for\ndrug development and ag-chemical products. At the core of its technology is\nChemPass AI™ a proprietary generative AI designed to explore vast chemical\nspace and generate novel, highly potent small molecules optimized across\nmultiple critical parameters. Built on this powerful technological foundation,\nand through strategic partnerships alongside internal product development,\nEvogene is focused on products for the pharmaceutical and agricultural\nindustries, driven by the integration of scientific innovation with real-world\nindustry needs.\n\nFor more information, please visit www.evogene.com (http://www.evogene.com/) .\n\nAbout ELEO Inc.\n\nELEO Inc. is a South Korean biopharmaceutical company dedicated to discovering\nand developing innovative oral therapeutics rooted in natural product science.\nBy combining deep expertise in natural product pharmacology and target\nidentification with modern drug discovery platforms, ELEO pursues novel\nmechanisms of action for chronic and intractable diseases where significant\nunmet medical needs remain.\n\nForward-Looking Statements\n\nThis press release contains \"forward-looking statements\" within the meaning of\nthe Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 relating to future\nevents. These statements may be identified by words such as \"may,\" \"could,\"\n\"expects,\" \"hopes,\" \"intends,\" \"anticipates,\" \"plans,\" \"believes,\"\n\"scheduled,\" \"estimates,\" \"demonstrates\", \"designed to,\" \"intended to,\" \"with\nthe goal of,\" or words of similar meaning. For example, Evogene uses\nforward-looking statements in this press release when it discusses: the\ncollaboration to discover and develop next-generation oral small-molecule\ninhibitors targeting the PCSK9 pathway for the treatment of hyperlipidemia and\ncardiovascular diseases; the collaboration to accelerate innovation, reduce\ndevelopment timelines, and enhance the potential for successful translation\ninto clinically meaningful therapies; and potential strategic opportunities,\nincluding clinical development pathways, licensing collaborations, and\npartnerships with global pharmaceutical companies. Such statements are based\non current expectations, estimates, projections and assumptions, describe\nopinions about future events, involve certain risks and uncertainties which\nare difficult to predict and are not guarantees of future performance.\nTherefore, actual future results, performance or achievements of Evogene and\nits subsidiaries may differ materially from what is expressed or implied by\nsuch forward-looking statements due to a variety of factors, many of which are\nbeyond the control of Evogene and its subsidiaries, including, without\nlimitation, the aftermath of the recent wars between Israel and each of (i)\nthe terrorist groups, Hamas and Hezbollah, (ii) Iran, and (iii) other regional\nterrorist groups supported by Iran, and any potential destabilizations in\nIsrael, neighboring territories or the Middle East region, and those\nadditional risk factors contained in Evogene's reports filed with the\napplicable securities authority.  In addition, Evogene and its subsidiaries\nrely, and expect to continue to rely, on third parties to conduct certain\nactivities, such as their and pre-clinical studies, and if these third parties\ndo not successfully carry out their contractual duties, comply with regulatory\nrequirements or meet expected deadlines, Evogene and its subsidiaries may\nexperience significant delays in the conduct of their activities. Evogene and\nits subsidiaries disclaim any obligation or commitment to update these\nforward-looking statements to reflect future events or developments or changes\nin expectations, estimates, projections and assumptions.\n\nInvestor Relations Contact:\n\nir@evogene.com (mailto:ir@evogene.com)\nTel: +972-8-9311901\n\nView original\ncontent:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/evogene-ltd-and-eleo-inc-announce-collaboration-to-develop-next-generation-oral-small-molecule-pcsk9-pathway-inhibitors-for-hyperlipidemia-and-cardiovascular-diseases-302832108.html\n(https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/evogene-ltd-and-eleo-inc-announce-collaboration-to-develop-next-generation-oral-small-molecule-pcsk9-pathway-inhibitors-for-hyperlipidemia-and-cardiovascular-diseases-302832108.html)\n\nSOURCE Evogene; ELEO Inc.\n\n\n\nPhoto: \nhttps://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1947468/Evogene.jpg\nhttps://mmx.prnewswire.com/media/MS1890884/ELEO.jpg?id=OA2779240\n\nCopyright (c) 2026 PR Newswire Association,LLC. All Rights Reserved."},"type":"article","timestamp":"2026-07-22T12:00:02.921269041Z","server_sent_at_ms":1784721602921},"received_at":"2026-07-22T12:00:02.972Z","source_url":"https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/evogene-ltd-and-eleo-inc-announce-collaboration-to-develop-next-generation-oral-small-molecule-pcsk9-pathway-inhibitors-for-hyperlipidemia-and-cardiovascular-diseases-302832108.html"},"analysis":{"id":"84191","press_release_id":"95150","analysis_json":{"industry":{"label":"Biotechnology","sector":"Health Care"},"redFlags":[],"eventType":"partnership","narrative":"Evogene partnered with ELEO Inc. to discover and develop oral small-molecule inhibitors targeting the PCSK9 pathway for the treatment of hyperlipidemia and cardiovascular diseases.\n\nThe collaboration combines Evogene's ChemPass AI platform with ELEO's biological expertise to address a market projected to grow from $4.4 billion in 2025 to more than $23 billion by 2035.\n\nThe companies aim to accelerate the discovery process and advance candidates toward preclinical development, with plans to explore future licensing opportunities.","sentiment":"bullish","agentHooks":{"shouldPost":true,"suggestedAngle":"Evogene leverages ChemPass AI for $23B cardiovascular opportunity via ELEO partnership."},"keyFigures":{"customDimensions":{"market_size_2025":"$4.4 billion","market_size_2035":"$23 billion"}},"quotedText":"This collaboration with ELEO represents a compelling opportunity to apply Evogene's advanced AI-driven computational capabilities to one of the most significant therapeutic areas in cardiovascular medicine.","namedEntities":{"people":[{"name":"Dr. Kyungseop Ahn","role":"CEO and Co-founder of ELEO Inc."},{"name":"Ofer Haviv","role":"President and CEO of Evogene"}],"products":["ChemPass AI™","PCSK9 pathway inhibitors"],"companies":[{"name":"Evogene Ltd.","ticker":"EVGN"},{"name":"ELEO Inc.","relationship":"partner"}],"dollarAmounts":[{"amount":"$4.4 billion","context":"global PCSK9 inhibitor market size in 2025"},{"amount":"$23 billion","context":"projected global PCSK9 inhibitor market size by 2035"}]},"materialImpact":{"score":3,"reasoning":"Strategic scientific collaboration targeting a large cardiovascular market opportunity ($23B by 2035) utilizing Evogene's core ChemPass AI platform. While early-stage, it validates the technology and expands potential revenue streams through future licensing or partnerships."},"tickerRelevance":{"others":[],"primary":"EVGN"},"globalImportance":25,"audienceRelevance":30,"eventTypeSecondary":[],"importanceComponents":{"tickerTier":"small-micro-cap","eventGravity":"strategic-partnership","sectorWeight":"biotech","marketOpportunity":"$23B TAM"}},"event_type":"partnership","event_type_secondary":null,"sentiment":"bullish","material_impact_score":3,"narrative":"Evogene partnered with ELEO Inc. to discover and develop oral small-molecule inhibitors targeting the PCSK9 pathway for the treatment of hyperlipidemia and cardiovascular diseases.\n\nThe collaboration combines Evogene's ChemPass AI platform with ELEO's biological expertise to address a market projected to grow from $4.4 billion in 2025 to more than $23 billion by 2035.\n\nThe companies aim to accelerate the discovery process and advance candidates toward preclinical development, with plans to explore future licensing opportunities.","key_figures":{"customDimensions":{"market_size_2025":"$4.4 billion","market_size_2035":"$23 billion"}},"named_entities":{"people":[{"name":"Dr. Kyungseop Ahn","role":"CEO and Co-founder of ELEO Inc."},{"name":"Ofer Haviv","role":"President and CEO of Evogene"}],"products":["ChemPass AI™","PCSK9 pathway inhibitors"],"companies":[{"name":"Evogene Ltd.","ticker":"EVGN"},{"name":"ELEO Inc.","relationship":"partner"}],"dollarAmounts":[{"amount":"$4.4 billion","context":"global PCSK9 inhibitor market size in 2025"},{"amount":"$23 billion","context":"projected global PCSK9 inhibitor market size by 2035"}]},"model_name":"glm-4.7","prompt_hash":"sha256:727b4b9429a443af","schema_hash":"sha256:05005c02d9cffac9","created_at":"2026-07-22T14:20:36.003Z","global_importance":25,"audience_relevance":30,"importance_components":{"tickerTier":"small-micro-cap","eventGravity":"strategic-partnership","sectorWeight":"biotech","marketOpportunity":"$23B TAM"}},"durationMs":321984,"modelName":"glm-4.7"}}