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European basic patents on CRISPR/Cas gene scissors withdrawn
Patent holders request the revocation of their patents
Who was the first to invent CRISPR/Cas gene scissors technology used to cut DNA at a targeted site? While there were several competing research teams involved in the invention, it was Jennifer Doudna and Emmanuelle Charpentier who were awarded the Nobel Prize. They are also named as inventors in patents filed in 2012 and 2013,…
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Corteva continues to focus on herbicide-resistant and insecticidal plants
New genetic engineering (NGT) used as a tool to speed up ‘old genetic engineering’
The US company Corteva Agrisciences (previously DowDuPont/Pioneer) is using the CRISPR/Cas gene scissors to produce more transgenic plants that are resistant to herbicides and toxic for insects. After the EU granted import authorisation for a CRISPR maize with these traits in July (DP915635), a further very similar plant is now pending approval: the maize (DP910521)…
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Conflicts of interest taint the independence of EFSA
Experts linked to industry dominate the new GMO panel
In July, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) appointed new experts for the ‘GMO Panel’, which is responsible for the assessment of genetically engineered organisms. Research conducted by Testbiotech found that the panel now includes a large number of researchers involved in the development of genetically engineered (GE) plants, some of whom have links to…