Evogene, Systasy and LMU University Hospital Munich Announce a Collaboration to Develop Novel Therapies for Neutrophil-Derived Inflammatory Diseases
Rhea-AI Summary
Evogene (Nasdaq: EVGN), Systasy Bioscience and LMU University Hospital Munich announced a collaborative program on Feb. 11, 2026 to develop novel therapies for neutrophil-driven hyper-inflammatory diseases, including IBD. The effort is supported by a pan-European EUREKA grant and includes participation from the Weizmann Institute.
Evogene will lead small-molecule discovery using its ChemPass AI™; Systasy will apply its PathwayProfiler DNA barcoding assays; LMU will validate leads in human stem cell–derived neutrophil models and advance biomarkers and translational plans.
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News Market Reaction
On the day this news was published, EVGN gained 0.99%, reflecting a mild positive market reaction. Argus tracked a peak move of +2.4% during that session. Argus tracked a trough of -13.7% from its starting point during tracking. Our momentum scanner triggered 7 alerts that day, indicating moderate trading interest and price volatility. This price movement added approximately $92K to the company's valuation, bringing the market cap to $9M at that time.
Data tracked by StockTitan Argus on the day of publication.
Market Reality Check
Peers on Argus
EVGN fell 7.34% while several biotech peers were also weak (e.g., ERNA -5.19%, LYRA -4.55%, KZIA -3.87%), though MBIO gained 2.48%, pointing to mixed, stock-specific pressure rather than a uniform sector move.
Historical Context
| Date | Event | Sentiment | Move | Catalyst |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feb 09 | Advisory board additions | Positive | +0.9% | Appointment of two professors to strengthen ChemPass AI scientific leadership. |
| Feb 04 | Licensing agreement | Positive | +4.8% | Exclusive worldwide license for BMC128 microbiome-based cancer therapeutic. |
| Jan 07 | R&D collaboration | Positive | -0.9% | Collaboration with Unravel Biosciences on first-in-class demyelination therapy. |
| Dec 30 | Executive appointment | Positive | -3.2% | Appointment of VP Business Development to scale AI-driven discovery efforts. |
| Nov 11 | Strategic partnership | Positive | +4.6% | Casterra–Fantini collaboration to mechanize large-scale commercial castor farming. |
Recent news—mainly collaborations and leadership additions—has produced mixed reactions, with both rallies and selloffs following ostensibly positive announcements.
Over the last few months, Evogene has focused on partnerships and strengthening its scientific and business leadership. On Feb 4, 2026, a licensing deal for microbiome therapy BMC128 saw shares rise 4.81%. Collaborations, such as the Unravel Biosciences deal on Jan 7, 2026, and Casterra’s agricultural partnership on Nov 11, 2025, also drew attention but with varied price outcomes. Management additions in December 2025 and February 2026 similarly triggered both gains and pullbacks, underscoring inconsistent market responses to strategic news.
Market Pulse Summary
This announcement highlights an AI-driven collaboration targeting neutrophil-mediated inflammatory diseases, including IBD, by combining Evogene’s ChemPass AI with advanced stem-cell and pathway-profiling platforms. It extends a recent series of R&D and licensing partnerships and follows management additions supporting the same strategy. Investors might track how this program progresses toward validated lead compounds, biomarker development, and potential clinical plans, while also watching future filings and updates for evidence of execution milestones and partnering traction.
Key Terms
neutrophil medical
inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) medical
inborn error of immunity medical
granulocytes medical
stem cell-derived neutrophils medical
biomarker medical
in vitro medical
precision diagnostics medical
AI-generated analysis. Not financial advice.
The collaboration is supported by a pan-European EUREKA grant, with participation of the Weizmann Institute of Science
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Hundreds of millions of people worldwide are affected by inflammatory and immune-mediated diseases in which neutrophils play a key pathogenic role[1],[2]. Despite being first responders in inflammation and key drivers of tissue damage, neutrophils are not directly targeted by existing therapies, creating a significant unmet need for safe, selective, and effective new treatment approaches.
The collaboration builds on Prof. Klein's clinical and scientific studies and insights derived from a rare genetic immunodeficiency. His team identified a novel inborn error of immunity associated with reduced numbers of neutrophil granulocytes, yet without marked functional defects of the immune system. By translating this naturally occurring rare condition into a therapeutic strategy, the collaboration aims to develop targeted therapies that modulate excessive neutrophil driven inflammation while potentially minimizing safety risks commonly associated with immune suppression.
The collaboration partners contribute complementary and synergistic expertise and technologies. Evogene will lead the small-molecule drug discovery effort using its proprietary ChemPass AI™ generative engine to design, optimize, and prioritize novel inhibitors. Together with the Weizmann Institute of Science, computational design will be tightly integrated with high-throughput experimental validation. Systasy will leverage its proprietary DNA barcoding technology to expand the PathwayProfiler™ platform for multiplexed profiling of stem cell-derived neutrophils, generating high-dimensional functional data to validate and refine Evogene's AI-designed inhibitors. The Department of Pediatrics at LMU's Dr. von Hauner Children's Hospital, led by Prof. Christoph Klein, will apply advanced stem cell biology and precision diagnostics to validate lead compounds in innovative human in vitro neutrophil models, while also supporting biomarker discovery and translational strategies aimed at personalized immunology and future clinical development.
Mr. Ofer Haviv, Evogene's President and CEO, stated: "We are excited to join forces with Systasy's and Prof. Klein's scientific expertise in launching this international effort, bringing therapeutic solutions to inflammatory conditions affecting many patients. The support of the prestigious EUREKA grant is a strong vote of confidence in this synergistic collaboration, as well as further acknowledgment of the uniqueness of ChemPass AI™, Evogene's AI-driven tech engine for small molecule discovery and optimization. By integrating AI-driven discovery with experimental excellence and clinical insight, we aim to advance innovative therapeutic concepts with clear clinical and commercial potential."
Dr. Sven Wichert, CEO of Systasy Bioscience, commented: "This EUREKA-funded collaboration marks a pivotal step for Systasy in extending our PathwayProfiler platform to neutrophil biology. Partnering with Evogene's AI innovation, LMU's clinical expertise, and Weizmann's validation strengths positions us to deliver breakthrough therapies addressing unmet needs in hyper-inflammatory diseases. Our hyper-multiplexed, patient-derived assays will provide the high-quality functional data essential for accelerating discovery and ensuring translational success."
Professor Christoph Klein, Chair, Department of Pediatrics, LMU University Hospital, is equally thrilled about this new collaborative project: "We care for children with rare diseases every day; occasionally, we discover novel genetic defects and elucidate pathomechanisms. Only rarely, however, is clinical and scientific knowledge translated into the development of novel therapeutic strategies. Thanks to the EUREKA-funded grant, we are now in the privileged position to advance the field substantially."
About Evogene Ltd.
Evogene Ltd. (Nasdaq: EVGN) (TASE: EVGN) is a pioneering company in computational chemistry, specializing in the generative design of small molecules for the pharmaceutical and agricultural industries.
At the core of its technology is ChemPass AI™, a proprietary generative AI engine that enables the design of novel, highly potent small molecules optimized across multiple critical parameters. This powerful platform significantly improves success rates while reducing development time and costs.
Built on this powerful technological foundation, and through strategic partnerships alongside internal product development, Evogene is focused on creating breakthrough products driven by the integration of scientific innovation with real-world industry needs. We call this approach "Real-World Innovation."
Learn more at: www.evogene.com.
About Systasy Bioscience GmbH
Systasy Bioscience GmbH is a biotechnology company specializing in automated induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC)-based solutions that accelerate drug discovery and development for pharma and biotech partners. Founded in 2012 and headquartered in
Learn more at: www.systasy.de.
About LMU University Hospital Munich and the DZKJ
The LMU University Hospital is one of
The German Center for Child and Adolescent Health (DZKJ) is a nationwide network connecting leading institutions across
Together, the LMU University Hospital and the DZKJ foster close collaboration between clinical practice and scientific innovation, accelerating the development of improved prevention strategies, diagnostics, and therapies for children and adolescents.
Learn more at: www.lmu-klinikum.de; www.ccrc-hauner.de/research-labs/klein-lab/939888339a9fcb00; https://dzkj.org.
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 is using forward-looking statements in this press release when it discusses the potential success of the collaboration to develop targeted therapies that modulate excessive neutrophil driven inflammation while potentially minimizing safety risks commonly associated with immune suppression, and the potential success of the collaboration to accelerate discovery and ensure translational success. 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, including, the aftermath of the recent war between
1. Gelabert-Mora, Andrea, et al. JAAD international 2025.
2. Herrero-Cervera et al. Cellular & molecular immunology 2022.
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Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2901992/Systasy_Logo.jpg
Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2901993/LMU_Klinikum_Logo.jpg
Evogene Investor Relations Contact:
ir@evogene.com
+972-8-9311901
Systasy Contact:
info@systasy.de
+49 (0) 151-51263366
LMU University Hospital Contact:
christoph.klein@med.uni-muenchen.de
+49 (0)89-4400-57701
SOURCE Evogene; Systasy; LMU University Hospital Munich