AGBIOTECH: Pioneer Receives Gene Gun Patent

Applied Genetics News, April, 1999

Pioneer Hi-bred International, Inc. (800 Capital Sq., 400 Locust, Des Moines, IA 50309; Tel: 515/248-4800, Fax: 515/248-4999) has been issued U.S. Patent 5,886,244 covering a process for producing fertile and stably transformed corn plants. One step involves a unique method of preparing corn cells for bombardment that increases the success rate of transformation in these cells.

The application for the patent was filed in June, 1988. According to Pioneer, this is 18 months before others applied for patents in biolistic plant transformation--the "gene gun," which has already been the subject of several patent disputes. DeKalb Genetics sued Pioneer and others over a series of patents DeKalb was granted in 1996. One of the DeKalb suits has been stayed and two others against Pioneer have been dismissed. Pioneer believes that the new patent could result in dismissal of the remaining suits brought by DeKalb against Pioneer.