Sub Navigation
Promotion
Free patent databases
Search 60 million patent documents online
Procedural information on all European patent applications
Full-text of the most recent four weeks of EP-A and EP-B publications
Soybean patent revoked in appeal proceedings
Munich, 3 May 2007 -- At a hearing today, a Technical Board of Appeal of the European Patent Office (EPO) revoked patent EP 301749 B1, owned by Monsanto, for the genetic modification of soybean plants. The Board accepted the view of the appellants - Syngenta and the environmental organisation ETC - that the invention lacked novelty. The patent had previously been maintained in amended form by an EPO Opposition Division in May 2003. The case then went to appeal.
The patent had been granted by the EPO in March 1994 to Agracetus, which was subsequently taken over by Monsanto. In its original form, it described a process for genetically engineering plants, especially soybean plants. The patent protection was valid for 13 of the current 32 member states of the European Patent Organisation.
The Technical Board of Appeal announced that the reasons for its decision would be published as soon as possible.
For further information, please contact:
Rainer Osterwalder
Press Department, European Patent Office
D-80298 Munich
Tel.: +49 89/2399-1820
Fax: +49 89/2399-2850
Mobile: +49 163/8399-527
rosterwalder@epo.org