St. Louis Business Journal via Checkbiotech.org

A U.S. Court of Appeals has revived a lawsuit between Bayer BioScience and Monsanto Co. over corn patents, according to published reports.

The appeals court said a lower court had mistakenly agreed to Monsanto's request to dismiss Bayer's patent infringement claims and sent it back for trial, the reports said.

Bayer had sued Monsanto over four patents covering genetically modified corn designed to resist insects.

The two companies have been involved in several suits over the past few years.

Germany-based Bayer CropScience, a subsidiary of Bayer AG, develops a variety of agricultural products. Bayer BioScience is part of Bayer CropScience.

St. Louis-based Monsanto Co. develops insect- and herbicide-resistant crops and other agricultural products.

© 2004 American City Business Journals Inc.