January 18, 2013
Syngenta launches e-licensing platformto share of plant science innovation
Press release
In order to provide plant breeders and research institutes around the world with quick and easy access to patented native traits from its commercial vegetable varieties, Syngenta on Thursday (Jan 17) launched a landmark e-licensing platform.
The global internet-based platform also offers access to patented enabling technologies, which help breeders with gene expression, plant transformation and protein targeting as they develop high-yielding varieties.
Syngenta''s Head of Business Development, Robert Berendes, said, "We are proud to be able to make our patented native traits and enabling technologies more accessible than ever before. Our e-licensing platform will help accelerate innovation in agriculture so that growers- large and small- can increase productivity in the face of challenges such as climate change and scarce natural resources."
All academic and non-profit organisations can make free use of the available traits and technologies for R&D purposes and can distribute the resulting products in developing countries free of charge.
Creating new varieties with desirable combinations of plant characteristics requires extensive breeding expertise and long-term R&D investment. Patents play an important role in incentivising research. However, plant breeders have traditionally been challenged by the complex, costly and time-consuming process of obtaining licenses to patented technology. Syngenta has addressed this issue by offering standard licenses under fair, reasonable and non-discriminatory (FRAND) terms. There are also no lengthy and complex negotiations as licenses can be secured via the internet-based platform.