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Mycogen Plant Seeds, Inc., an affiliate of Dow AgroSciences LLC, has been granted U.S. patent rights to Transgenic Bt in Plants, according to an announcement issued by the U.S. Patent Office, September 13, 2005. Both Mycogen and Dow AgroSciences are wholly-owned subsidiaries of The Dow Chemical Company.

"Issuance of this important patent demonstrates that Dow was the first to invent transgenic Bt in plants," said Pete Siggelko, Dow AgroSciences vice president for Plant Genetics and Biotechnology.

Produced naturally by soil bacteria, the insecticidal protein Bt (Bacillus thuringiensis) can be expressed in plants so that crops are able to protect themselves against insect pests.

The newly granted patent for Bt in Plants gives Dow broad and exclusive U.S. rights to this technology.

"This patent demonstrates our long-standing commitment to creating value for growers by developing innovative agricultural technology," Siggelko said. "We look forward to discussing patent licenses with companies interested in commercializing insect-resistant Bt Plant technology."

The patent for Bt in Plants was originally filed in 1988, but a decision by the U.S. Patent Office was delayed by interference proceedings brought by another company. These proceedings ran from 1994 to 2003 and were ultimately resolved in Dow's favor.

Mycogen markets Bt insect-resistant corn under the tradename Herculex (tm) . Dow AgroSciences markets Bt insect-resistant cotton under the tradename WideStrike (tm) .

Dow's patent on transgenic Bt in plants (United States Patent Number 6,943,282) will be in effect until 2021.

Mycogen Seeds is the leader in Silage-Specific (tm) corn, the largest sunflower seed producer, and a leading producer of seed corn, alfalfa, soybeans and sorghum.

Dow AgroSciences LLC, based in Indianapolis, Indiana, USA, is a global leader in providing pest management, agricultural seed and biotechnology products that improve the quality and quantity of the earth's food supply and contribute to the health and quality of life of the world's growing population. Dow AgroSciences has approximately 5500 people in more than 50 countries dedicated to its business, and has worldwide sales of US $3.4 billion.

The Dow Chemical Company is a leader in science and technology, providing innovative chemical, plastic and agricultural products and services to many essential consumer markets. With annual sales of $40 billion, Dow serves customers in 175 countries and a wide range of markets that are vital to human progress: food, transportation, health and medicine, personal and home care, and building and construction, among others. Committed to the principles of sustainable development, Dow and its 43,000 employees seek to balance economic, environmental and social responsibilities.