Munich, Germany
May 3, 2007
At a hearing today, a Technical
Board of Appeal of the European
Patent Office (EPO) revoked patent
EP 301749 B1, owned by
Monsanto Company, 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.
Source:
http://www.epo.org/about-us/press/releases/archive/2007/070503.html
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