02.04.21 Business Insider: GreenLight named as one of six biotechs VCs are watching Share: Share on Linkedin Share on Twitter Share on Facebook GreenLight Biosciences is listed in Business Insider as one of the leading emerging biotechs tackling the Covid-19 pandemic. GreenLight Biosciences is listed in Business Insider as one of the leading emerging biotechs tackling the Covid-19 pandemic, including producing messenger RNA. Extracts from the article are below: Founded in 2008, Boston-based Greenlight Biosciences says it has developed a commercial method to produce mRNA for both life and plant sciences applications without the use of cells. Typically, mRNA production for academic research requires the use of cell culture. It’s a time-consuming, specialized process that is not able to be reproduced at a larger scale.Two of the leading coronavirus vaccines — made by Pfizer/BioNTech and Moderna — use mRNA.In June, Greenlight raised a $102 million Series D, bringing its total funding to $215 million. In September, the company also received $3.3 million from the Gates Foundation to develop mRNA-based therapies for sickle-cell disease.CEO Andrey Zarur told CNBC in November that Greenlight also had its own preclinical COVID-19 vaccine in the works. In January, Zarur penned an op-ed for STAT, urging the biotech industry to collaborate.“Now is not the time for those involved in developing and manufacturing Covid-19 vaccines to hold their cards tightly to their chests,” Zarur said in the op-ed. “We must work together and commit to helping each other.” Read the full article here. Find out more about how GreenLight manufactures RNA here.