BioHarvest Sciences Announces Successful Completion of Stage 1 Development of Saffron Composition for Nutraceutical and Culinary Applications

BioHarvest Sciences (NASDAQ: BHST) completed Stage 1 of a multi-stage CDMO development agreement with SaffronTech, establishing a stable saffron cell bank for nutraceutical and culinary uses.

Rhea-AI Summary

BioHarvest Sciences (NASDAQ: BHST) completed Stage 1 of a multi-stage CDMO development agreement with SaffronTech, establishing a stable saffron cell bank for nutraceutical and culinary uses. The agreement is valued at $1.125 million, with BioHarvest also holding a 25% stake in Saffron Composition and future royalty rights.

Positive

• CDMO saffron program advances to Stage 2 of $1.125 million agreement
• 25% equity ownership in Saffron Composition plus potential future manufacturing royalties
• Stable saffron cell bank established with key bioactive compounds identified
• Stage 2 targets biomass for pre-commercial testing and product development

Negative

• None.

Argus May 13 session

+4.30% close to close Open Argus

Details

News Market Reaction – BHST

On May 13, the day this news came out, BHST closed 4.30% above the previous close.

Data tracked by StockTitan Argus for the May 13 session.

Key Figures

Development agreement value: $1.125 million Equity stake: 25% ownership Stage 1 completed: Stage 1 +1 more

Development agreement value

$1.125 million

Multi-stage CDMO saffron composition agreement

Equity stake

25% ownership

Ownership position in Saffron Composition

Stage 1 completed

Stage 1

Stable saffron cell bank development milestone

Stage 2 advancement

Stage 2

Next phase to generate biomass for pre-commercial testing

Historical Context

5 past events · Latest: Apr 30

5 events

1. Apr 30

   Earnings date notice

   24h Move

   -0.7%

   Announced timing and call details for Q1 2026 results.

2. Apr 29

   Leadership transition

   24h Move

   -1.2%

   CEO role shifted to Dr. Rakib to drive two-lens strategy.

3. Mar 31

   Earnings results

   24h Move

   -0.7%

   Reported FY2025 revenue growth, strong margins, and 2026 guidance.

4. Mar 31

   CDMO milestone

   24h Move

   +1.6%

   Completed Stage 1 cell culture for rare fragrance using platform.

5. Mar 26

   Brand leadership

   24h Move

   -0.9%

   VINIA declared #1 U.S. resveratrol polyphenol brand with growth metrics.

24h Move is the share-price change in the day after each event; other market factors may also have contributed.

Key Terms

cdmo, botanical synthesis, nutraceutical, cell bank, +1 more

5 terms

cdmo financial

"its CDMO division has completed Stage 1 under a multi-stage development agreement"

A contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO) is a company that provides specialized services to help develop and produce pharmaceutical products for other businesses. Think of it as a contract factory that takes a company's recipe and makes the product on their behalf. For investors, CDMOs are important because they support the growth of pharmaceutical companies and can be key partners in bringing new medicines to market.

botanical synthesis technical

"focus on utilizing BioHarvest's patented Botanical Synthesis platform to generate enough biomass"

Botanical synthesis is the lab-based creation or replication of plant-derived compounds, either by chemically building the molecules or by using engineered organisms to produce them, like recreating a recipe in a factory instead of harvesting from a garden. For investors it matters because it can lower costs, secure supply, protect patents, and affect regulatory review and market access for products that rely on consistent, scalable plant ingredients.

nutraceutical medical

"for potential nutraceutical and culinary applications"

A nutraceutical is a product made from food ingredients that is promoted to provide health benefits beyond basic nutrition — for example vitamins, herbal extracts, fortified foods, and dietary supplements. Investors watch nutraceuticals because they sit between food and medicine: consumer demand, limited regulation, and claims about health effects can drive fast sales and higher margins but also create liability, regulatory risk, and uncertainty about long‑term efficacy, which affect company value.

cell bank technical

"successfully establishing a stable saffron cell bank for potential nutraceutical"

A cell bank is a carefully tested, long-term storage of living cells used to make biological products or run laboratory tests; think of it as a frozen library of identical starter material that manufacturers return to when they need to produce a medicine or repeat an experiment. Investors care because the quality, consistency and regulatory approval of a cell bank affect a drugmaker’s ability to scale production, meet safety standards and avoid costly delays—similar to how reliable ingredients matter for consistent food production.

bioactive compounds medical

"molecular profile representing saffron's key bioactive compounds, including crocin"

Molecules produced by plants, microbes, or other organisms that have a biological effect on cells, tissues, or whole organisms; examples include vitamins, plant extracts, and drug-like substances. Investors care because these compounds are the active "ingredients" behind new medicines, supplements, or agricultural products—so their effectiveness, safety, and patentability drive clinical success, regulatory approval, market demand, and potential revenue. Like the key spice in a recipe, a bioactive compound determines whether a product works and sells.

AI-generated analysis. How Rhea-AI works. Not financial advice.

See more from StockTitan in Google Search and AI answers. Adds StockTitan as a preferred source · opens Google

Add on Google Not now

- CDMO program advances to Stage 2 of development agreement valued at $1.125 million

-Advancement of sustainable solution for the production of saffron, one of the world's most valuable and health-promoting botanicals

- In addition to future commercial manufacturing royalties, BioHarvest also holds a 25% ownership position in Saffron Composition

Vancouver, British Columbia and Rehovot, Israel---(Newsfile Corp. - May 13, 2026) - BioHarvest Sciences Inc. (NASDAQ: BHST) (FSE: 8MV0), a leader in Botanical Synthesis technology and sustainable plant-based molecule development, today announced that its CDMO division has completed Stage 1 under a multi-stage development agreement, successfully establishing a stable saffron cell bank for potential nutraceutical and culinary applications. The development partner is SaffronTech, a company pioneering advanced cultivation methods for saffron, one of the world's most valuable and health-promoting botanicals. Completion of Stage 1 has triggered the advancement to Stage 2 under an ongoing development agreement, which will now focus on utilizing BioHarvest's patented Botanical Synthesis™ platform to generate enough biomass to support future pre-commercial testing and product development for nutraceutical and culinary applications. The stable saffron cell bank created in Stage 1 demonstrates a molecular profile representing saffron's key bioactive compounds, including crocin, picrocrocin, and safranal, associated with saffron's sensory characteristics and well researched multiple health attributes.

Dr. Zaki Rakib, Chief Executive Officer and Executive Chairman of BioHarvest Sciences, commented, "Completion of Stage 1 represents another important validation of the versatility of our Botanical Synthesis platform to create sustainable cell banks from scarce botanicals. Saffron is one of the world's most expensive and scientifically researched plants, yet its traditional supply chain faces major sustainability, ethical, and scalability limitations. By establishing stable saffron cell cultures containing the plant's key bioactive compounds, we have demonstrated the potential to produce saffron-derived ingredients that can eventually be scaled to meet significant existing unmet market demand. This milestone further supports the evolution of our CDMO business model, where BioHarvest participates in the downstream value creation of products developed using our platform."

Michael Oster, CEO of SaffronTech, commented, "We are extremely encouraged by the successful completion of Stage 1 and the scientific progress achieved by BioHarvest. This milestone validates the potential of Botanical Synthesis to redefine how saffron-based ingredients can be produced sustainably, ethically, and consistently for both health-focused and culinary markets. We look forward to advancing the program into the next stage of development."

About Saffron as a Nutraceutical and Culinary Compound

Saffron is widely regarded as one of the most valuable agricultural ingredients in the world, often commanding prices ranging from approximately $3,000 to more than $10,000 per kilogram depending on quality and origin. Demand is driven by both culinary applications and the rapidly growing nutraceutical and wellness sectors. Industry estimates suggest that annual global saffron production is only approximately 500 to 600 metric tons, with the majority produced in Iran, where escalating geopolitical tensions often lead to significant market volatility and supply chain instability.

While the 2025 global saffron market is estimated at nearly $500 million annually*, the broader nutraceutical categories associated with saffron's researched bioactive properties represent an estimated 2025 total addressable market of over $100 billion globally. These include rapidly growing segments such as mood and stress support, cognitive health, sleep quality, antioxidant activity, and metabolic wellness. In addition, saffron remains a highly prized culinary ingredient used globally across premium food, beverage, flavoring, and specialty gastronomy applications, where consistent quality and supply stability are increasingly important for a segment which represents more than 50% of the total market demand.

BioHarvest's Agreement with SaffronTech and its Role in the Sustainable Production of Saffron

BioHarvest believes its Botanical Synthesis platform creates a highly differentiated and sustainable solution for the future production of saffron compositions by enabling the production of saffron-derived compounds without traditional farming, harvesting, or dependence on geographic and climate limitations. The process also provides the potential for enhanced consistency, purity, scalability, and long-term supply stability for both food-grade and nutraceutical-grade applications.

Under the terms of the agreement, BioHarvest retains 25% ownership of the saffron composition being developed through the multi-stage program. Additionally, BioHarvest will earn manufacturing royalties from any future saffron compound that is produced on its Botanical Synthesis platform, reflecting BioHarvest's strategy to, where possible, participate downstream in the future value creation of products developed using its Botanical Synthesis platform.

With Stage 1 completed, BioHarvest and SaffronTech are advancing toward Stage 2, where the saffron cells stored in the proprietary cell bank will be propagated in liquid medium bioreactors to generate significant biomass to support future pre-commercial testing, formulation development, and validation.

BioHarvest believes the saffron development program further strengthens the positioning of its CDMO division as a differentiated platform capable of addressing some of the world's most valuable and supply-constrained plant-derived compounds through sustainable biotechnology solutions, while expanding the Company's pipeline of potential royalty-generating partnerships.

*Grandview Research - Saffron Market Size, Share & Trends Analysis Report (2026 - 2033)
https://www.grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/saffron-market

Forward-Looking Statements

This news release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of applicable securities laws. These statements are based on management's current expectations, beliefs, and assumptions and are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially. For the CDMO Services Business Unit, there is no assurance of additional future contracts, and readers are cautioned that increased revenue is not necessarily an increase in net income or profitability as costs will likely increase as well. There is no assurance that signed research agreements will proceed past a contracted stage, or that a developed molecule or compound will be commercialized or will generate royalties to the Company. Successful commercialization of any compound developed will be subject to consumer preferences, advertising budgets and other factors affecting market acceptance of new products which are uncertain and cannot be assured. Launching new products is subject to risks and uncertainties including the risk that the market will not accept the product or that government approvals required for sale or import of the products will not be obtained. There is never an assurance that any product set will successfully disrupt established product categories. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. The Company does not undertake any obligation to update forward-looking statements except as required by applicable law. Additional information is contained in the Company's SEC filings, available at http://www.sec.gov.

BioHarvest Company Contact:

Dave Ryan, VP Investor Relations
(604) 622-1186
info@bioharvest.com

Investor Relations Contact:

Chuck Padala, Managing Director
LifeSci Advisors
chuck@lifesciadvisors.com

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/297297

FAQ

AI-generated questions and answers. How Rhea-AI works. Not financial advice.

What did BioHarvest Sciences (BHST) announce about its saffron CDMO program on May 13, 2026?

BioHarvest Sciences announced completion of Stage 1 of its saffron CDMO program, enabling a stable saffron cell bank. According to BioHarvest, this achievement supports future nutraceutical and culinary applications and advances the multi-stage development agreement into Stage 2.

What is the value of BioHarvest Sciences (BHST) saffron development agreement with SaffronTech?

The saffron development agreement is valued at approximately $1.125 million. According to BioHarvest, completion of Stage 1 under this multi-stage CDMO agreement triggers progression to Stage 2, focused on producing biomass for pre-commercial testing and product development.

How does BioHarvest Sciences (BHST) benefit financially from the saffron composition project?

BioHarvest may benefit through development payments, future commercial manufacturing royalties, and equity value. According to BioHarvest, it holds a 25% ownership position in Saffron Composition in addition to CDMO economics under the $1.125 million saffron development agreement.

What was achieved in Stage 1 of BioHarvest Sciences (BHST) saffron program?

Stage 1 produced a stable saffron cell bank with key bioactive compounds. According to BioHarvest, the molecular profile includes crocin, picrocrocin, and safranal, supporting potential nutraceutical and culinary ingredients based on its Botanical Synthesis platform.

What will Stage 2 focus on in BioHarvest Sciences (BHST) saffron CDMO program?

Stage 2 will focus on generating enough saffron biomass for pre-commercial testing and product development. According to BioHarvest, its patented Botanical Synthesis platform will be used to support nutraceutical and culinary applications through scalable saffron-derived ingredients.

Why is saffron important to BioHarvest Sciences (BHST) Botanical Synthesis strategy?

Saffron is described as one of the most valuable and researched botanicals, with supply constraints. According to BioHarvest, creating sustainable, scalable saffron cell cultures showcases the versatility of its Botanical Synthesis platform and supports its evolving CDMO business model.