University’s Research Arm Sues Large Corporation
May 25, 2007 | Read Time: 1 minute
The Iowa State University Research Foundation has sued Monsanto, saying the company infringed its patent on low-fat soybeans, reports The Chronicle of Higher Education.
The foundation says that the company is selling a kind of soybean that was patented by two Iowa State professors during the 1990s. The soybean in question is used to make cooking oil that produces fewer trans fats, which contribute to heart disease.
The Iowa State University Research Foundation has licensed its soybean patents to other companies. Monsanto started selling its version of the disputed soybean, with the name Vistive, in 2005.
Monsanto denies any wrongdoing. It said in a written statement, “We did not use any material from ISU and did not infringe upon any of ISU’s patents.”
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