April 11, 2006

DuPont, Syngenta form joint venture to market licences

DuPont and Syngenta announced Tuesday (Apr 11) the formation of a joint venture- to out-licence genetics to US and Canadian seed companies.

The two companies agreed to cross-licence certain corn and soybean traits that each company will market independently under their own seed brands.

Syngenta would market the new Optimum GAT herbicide tolerant trait developed by DuPont while DuPont will receive a global licence to Syngenta's insect resistance technology for European corn borer, corn rootworm and broad lepidopteran control.

Mike Mack, Chief Operating Officer of Syngenta Seeds, said the move would make available to farmers a unique pool of corn and soybean traits and genetics from both companies' research efforts, thus allowing North American growers access to broader product choices and technologies. 

The joint venture, GreenLeaf Genetics LLC, will offer corn and soybean breeding material from both DuPont and Syngenta.

It will also facilitate the licencing of biotech traits from both companies.

This is the second business agreement announced this year between Syngenta and DuPont agriculture businesses. Just last month, the two companies announced an agreement that gave Syngenta an exclusive worldwide license to develop DuPont's insecticide Rynaxypyr in mixtures with its own insect control products.

DuPont Crop Protection, on the other hand, acquired worldwide rights to Syngenta's strobilurin fungicide picoxystrobin, including access to its companion products used in mixtures.