Bayer CropScience and Syngenta sign global cotton technology licensing agreement

Monday, Jul 19, 2010

Bayer CropScience and Syngenta have entered into a long-term business agreement relating to a key plant biotechnology trait. Under the agreement, Syngenta has granted Bayer CropScience a worldwide, non-exclusive license for use of VIPCOTTM insect control technology in cotton.

The VIPCOT technology expresses two insecticidal proteins that are highly effective against a number of important cotton pests, including cotton bollworm (Helicoverpa zea) and tobacco budworm (Heliothis virescens). The addition of VIPCOT will complement Bayer’s existing portfolio of cotton solutions, which includes high-performance cottonseed brands FiberMax®, Stoneville® and Surpass®, and technologies including LibertyLink® and GlyTol® herbicide-tolerance and TwinLink® insect resistance.

"Bayer is committed to being a leader in bringing innovative cotton solutions to farmers that help them tackle tough agronomic challenges and become more productive and profitable," said Dr. Joachim Schneider, Head of the BioScience business unit of Bayer CropScience. "We have one of the most robust cotton technology pipelines in the business, and we are pleased to be working with Syngenta to advance yet another insect control technology offering to benefit cotton farmers worldwide."

Davor Pisk, Chief Operating Officer of Syngenta Seeds, said, "This agreement further demonstrates the innovation that Syngenta is delivering in biotechnology. VIPCOT contains the same gene as AGRISURE VIPTERA™, to be launched by Syngenta in the US corn market later this year. The agreement with Bayer CropScience means that cotton growers will also see an expansion of the technology options available to them."

Further details of the agreement were not disclosed.

About Bayer CropScience

Bayer is a global enterprise with core competencies in the fields of health care, nutrition and high-tech materials. Bayer CropScience AG, a subsidiary of Bayer AG with annual sales of about EUR 6.5 billion (2009), is one of the world’s leading innovative crop science companies in the areas of crop protection, non-agricultural pest control, seeds and traits. The company offers an outstanding range of products and extensive service backup for modern, sustainable agriculture and for non-agricultural applications. Bayer CropScience has a global workforce of 18,700 and is represented in more than 120 countries. This and further news is available at: http://www.press.bayercropscience.com.
Source: Bayer