License Agreements Expand Bayer And DuPont Collaboration

Matt Hopkins Posted by Matt Hopkins|25 June 2009

Monheim, Germany-based Bayer CropScience and Delaware, US company DuPont have entered into a series of long-term business agreements related to key plant biotecnology traits and technologies, announced a Bayer press release. The agreements establish cross-licenses for next generation seed solutions and weed and insect control strategies from Bayer CropScience, DuPont Crop Protection, and DuPont’s Pioneer Hi-Bred business. The agreements also resolve current legal and patent disputes between the companies regarding insect control and herbicide safeners.

According to the agreements, Bayer CropScience grants Pioneer licenses to use the LibertyLink trademark in Pioneer proprietary corn and soybean germplasm, as well as providing Pioneer with worldwide regulatory support for Pioneer products with the LibertyLink trait. Pioneer will also be permitted the use of glufosinate-tolerance technology in soybean product development. Bayer CropScience will also provide Pioneer with licenses under its Dual Bt patents, with limited rfights to grant sublicenses for development of next generation insect resistance management in corn.

DuPont Crop Protection will also have the right to continue to offer its DuPont Q product formulations containing the Bayer herbicide safener isoxadifen, as well as rights to offer blends of isoxadifen with certain defined HPPD herbicides and sulfoonylurea herbides, including licenses to enable DuPont to introduce a broad class of future crop protection product offerings. A number of other cross-licenses on enabling technologies between the two companies are included in the agreements, but details were not disclosed.

Hide picture