SBM Life Science and Harpe Bioherbicide Solutions sign development agreement on natural weed control products

SBM Life Science and Harpe Bioherbicide Solutions have entered a strategic agreement to develop and commercialize natural weed control products for the U.S. home and garden market.

The collaboration will focus on bioherbicide formulations derived from plant extracts that are intended for use in residential lawn and garden applications, including weed and moss control.

According to the companies, several products under development may qualify as “minimum-risk” pesticides under U.S. Environmental Protection Agency rules, a category that can be exempt from federal registration. Products in that category typically face shorter regulatory timelines than conventional synthetic pesticides.

Harpe, based in Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, develops herbicide compounds derived from plant extracts that the company says act through different biological mechanisms than many conventional weed-control products.

The agreement pairs Harpe’s technology platform with SBM’s distribution and consumer product portfolio in the home and garden sector.

SBM Company, the parent group of SBM Life Science, is a France-based manufacturer of plant care and pest control products operating in more than 30 countries. Harpe Bioherbicide Solutions focuses on biological herbicide technologies intended for consumer, organic and conventional agricultural markets.

The companies did not disclose financial terms of the agreement or a timeline for potential product launches.