Evogene Ltd. (Nasdaq: EVGN) and South Korean biotechnology company ELEO Inc. announced a scientific collaboration to discover and develop oral small-molecule inhibitors targeting the PCSK9 pathway for the treatment of hyperlipidemia and cardiovascular diseases.

Under the agreement, Evogene will apply its ChemPass AI™ computational chemistry platform to generate and optimize small-molecule candidates based on parameters including oral potency, bioavailability, selectivity, and drug-like properties. ELEO will contribute biological expertise, including target validation, PCSK9 expression suppression models, and screening platforms to experimentally validate the computationally designed candidates.

The global PCSK9 inhibitor market is projected to grow from approximately $4.4 billion in 2025 to more than $23 billion by 2035, according to the companies' press release. Currently approved PCSK9 therapies are delivered by injection, which the companies cite as a factor limiting patient access.

Ofer Haviv, President and CEO of Evogene, said: "This collaboration with ELEO represents a compelling opportunity to apply Evogene's advanced AI-driven computational capabilities to one of the most significant therapeutic areas in cardiovascular medicine."

Dr. Kyungseop Ahn, CEO and Co-founder of ELEO Inc., said the company has identified a PCSK9 inhibitor candidate with a novel mechanism rooted in natural product science, and that combining this with Evogene's platform aims to advance oral small-molecule candidates for patients with atherosclerosis.

The companies said they intend to explore clinical development pathways, licensing collaborations, and partnerships with global pharmaceutical companies. The collaboration is currently at the discovery stage, with candidates to be advanced toward preclinical development.