ICL Acquires Lavie Bio Activity from Evogene to Expand Ag Biologicals Portfolio

By Agroempresario.com 

The Israel-based speciality chemicals manufacturer ICL has completed the acquisition of the majority of Lavie Bio’s activity from computational biology company Evogene. The deal, first announced in April 2025, marks a significant move by ICL to expand its footprint in the fast-growing agricultural biologicals market.

Lavie Bio, known for leveraging computational biology to accelerate the discovery and development of ag biological products, had already partnered with ICL in 2024 to co-develop novel biostimulants. The acquisition includes Lavie Bio’s proprietary technology platform, microbial bank, and current commercial offerings, while other existing partnerships remain with Lavie Bio.

ICL, traditionally recognized for fertilizers and specialty minerals, has actively diversified into ag biologicals. This strategic expansion followed the acquisition of Brazilian biologicals company Nitro 1000 in 2024 and the establishment of its own biologicals research center in Israel in 2025.

Dr. Elinor Erez, ICL’s VP of R&D and growing solutions, highlighted that integrating Lavie Bio’s platform with ICL’s research expertise and global sales network will enhance its ability to deliver advanced biological solutions.

Evogene also divested its MicroBoost AI computational engine used for microbial discovery, previously leveraged by Lavie Bio.

The agricultural biologicals sector is poised for significant growth, projected to reach $19.6 billion by 2027, with segments including biocontrols, biostimulants, and biofertilizers. Industry experts at the recent Salinas Biological Summit emphasized ongoing consolidation trends, exemplified by deals like this one.