Evogene Ltd. and Verb Biotics LLC entered into a collaboration agreement that will focus on the development of new strains of probiotic bacteria, which produce a highly sustainable quantity of microbial metabolites that improve human health and vitality. The collaboration will focus on identifying and enhancing the currently unknown genetic pathways in microbes that support the production of novel metabolites, using Evogene's MicroBoost AI techengine and Verb Biotics' extensive accumulated knowledge in the field of the microbiome. The probiotics market is expected to double and reach approximately $114 billion by 2031 from approximately $55 billion in 2022i.

The increased awareness of the microbiome, the bacteria living in and on the human body, has sparked significant interest in microbiome products based on supporting microbes for a healthier lifestyle. This collaboration aligns with the expanding importance of global microbiome research. The collaboration generates excellent synergy by combining Evogene's knowledge in bacterial-based product development utilizing its tech-engine MicroBoost AI with Verb Biotics' access to the genomes of various microbial strains that support the production of microbial metabolites vital for human health.

The financial terms of the agreement are not disclosed.