Continental Grain-backed RNA material producer GreenLight Biosciences is hoping to supply ingredients for RNA-based coronavirus vaccines after securing $17m in funding.

GreenLight Biosciences, a US-based RNA production business backed by food and commodities group Continental Grain, has collected $17m in a round featuring Flu Lab, Xeraya Capital and Baird Capital.

Founded in 2008, Greenlight has devised a bioprocessing method to facilitate large-scale production of ribonucleic acid – the biological molecule responsible for numerous genetic functions – without added safety risks.

GreenLight will use the funding to expand manufacturing in a bid to meet demand from Covid-19 vaccine producers should their treatments…