Appointment of Global Head of Biology and Dev

10 July 2020

Eden Research Plc

("Eden" or "Company")

Appointment of Global Head of Biology and Development

Eden Research plc (AIM: EDEN), the AIM-quoted company focused on sustainable biopesticides and plastic-free encapsulation technology for use in crop protection, animal health and consumer products industries, today announces the appointment of Dr. Aoife Dillon to the role of Head of Biology.

Aoife joins Eden from Plant Health Care, a leading provider of scientifically proven biological products for the agricultural industry, where she has been Technical Director for the EMEAA Region for the past three years.  During her tenure, she drove the R&D agenda across the region, influencing key stakeholders to create confidence in the Plant Health Care brand and generate market pull for the product portfolio.  She was previously Chief Technology Officer at Exosect Ltd, a formulations company focused on the targeted delivery of biological and synthetic compounds used in Agriculture, where she oversaw the granting of four key patents for the company.

At Eden, she will undertake global responsibility for developing the Company's product pipeline from a biology standpoint, working closely with a growing R&D team. Her appointment follows the opening of Eden's new laboratory, where the Company will conduct in-house processes for developing and screening new products. Aoife will be heavily involved in assessing the efficacy and safety of new formulations and running commercial scale trials focused on plant biology for the environment and sustainability.  Aoife will also work closely with Eden's commercial partners in order to support their efforts and ultimately grow the list of authorised uses for Eden's product portfolio.

Aoife has considerable regulatory affairs experience in plant protection products and biostimulants, as well as experience running coordinated crop trials internationally for over 20 years.  During her career, she has had roles at BASF, Horticultural Development Company and Coillte and has a PhD in Integrated Pest Management (IPM), a Diploma Project Management (PMBOK) and a Master of Science (MSc) in Biological Crop Protection.

CEO Sean Smith commented: "We are pleased to welcome Aoife to Eden.  She brings an impressive range of senior executive experience and the ability to engage with and influence key stakeholders in the development and commercialisation of biocontrol products. Aoife has a track record of driving change, as well as developing and delivering on sustainability standards, which are at the core of Eden's proposition. Her presence at our new laboratory facilities will be integral as we ramp up our in-house capabilities to develop our product pipeline."

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Notes:

Eden Research is an AIM quoted company that develops and supplies breakthrough biopesticide products and natural, plastic-free microencapsulation technologies to the global crop protection, animal health and consumer products industries

Eden's Sustaine encapsulation technology harnesses the biocidal efficacy of naturally occurring chemicals produced by plants (terpenes) and can be used with both natural and synthetic compounds to enhance their performance and ease-of-use.

Sustaine microcapsules are naturally derived, plastic-free, biodegradable micro-spheres derived from yeast extract. They produce stabilised aqueous suspensions which, are easy to mix and apply, have phased release patterns, are safer for the environment and the crops themselves.

The European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) has proposed an EU-wide restriction on the placing on the market or use of "intentionally-added" microplastic particles. The proposed restriction includes the use of microplastics for agricultural and horticultural purposes, including polymers utilized for controlled-release fertilizers, encapsulated plant protection products (PPPs), seed coatings, and biocides.

By 2025 in the EU, pesticides containing synthetic polymer microplastics are likely to be banned and removed from the market. The only acceptable alternative is the substitution with biodegradable formulations. Reformulated products will need to be evaluated and registered within the five-year transition period.

Sustaine is one of the only viable, proven and immediately registerable solutions to the microplastics problem in formulations requiring encapsulation.

Historically, terpenes have had limited commercial use in the agrochemical sector due to their volatility, phytotoxicity and poor solubility. Sustaine provides a unique, environmentally friendly solution to these problems and enables terpenes to be used as effective, low-risk agrochemicals.

Eden is developing these technologies through innovative research and a series of commercial production, marketing and distribution partnerships.

The Company has a number of patents and a pipeline of products at differing stages of development targeting specific areas of the global agrochemicals industry. To date, the Company has invested in the region of 14m in developing and protecting its intellectual property and seeking regulatory approval for products that rely upon the Company's technologies. Revenues earned by the Company have been modest whilst the Company has concentrated on securing patent protection for its intellectual property, gaining regulatory approvals, identifying suitable industrial partners, and entering into commercial agreements. 

In May 2013, the three actives that comprise Eden's first commercial product, Mevalone, were approved as new ingredients for use in plant protection products by the European Commission ("EC"). This represented a major milestone in the commercialisation of Eden's technology and is a significant accomplishment for any company.  To illustrate this point, one should note that in 2013, Eden's approvals represented 3 of only 10 new active ingredients approved by the EC.

Mevalone is a foliar fungicide which has been authorised for sale in Kenya, Malta, Greece, Bulgaria, Spain, Italy, France, Cyprus, Albania, Portugal and Macedonia.

Cedroz is a nematicide which has been authorised for sale in Malta, Belgium and Mexico.

Eden was admitted to trading on AIM on 11 May 2012 and trades under the symbol EDEN.