GreenLight Biosciences and Bayer CropScience have established a new partnership to explore applications of GreenLight's proprietary cell-free technologies to increase the productivity of potential manufacturing processes.

Financial terms of the agreement were not disclosed.

The Boston, Massachusetts-based biotech firm is developing ways of manufacturing crop protection products through bacteria, which have been engineered to produce enzymes for chemical synthesis processes.

CEO Andrey Zarur said his company wants "to be at the forefront of creating new, non-petroleum based processes. Specifically we aim to replace the use of fossil hydrocarbons and expensive natural precursors in the production of chemicals with sustainable feedstocks."

GreenLight said the "unique partnership" with Bayer "will couple the potential of our cell-free platform for efficient manufacturing with the "remarkable innovations" of the German chemical giant.