CHEMICALS

Monsanto Awarded Gene Patent, Sues Mycogen, Ciba-Geigy: The company said it received the patent for a class of genes that make plants resistant to specific insect pests without the use of chemical insecticides. It said the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office granted it a composition patent for a class of genes used to produce B.t. proteins in plants. The B.t. proteins control specific insect pests. St. Louis-based Monsanto also said it filed suit against Mycogen Corp. and Ciba-Geigy, charging that their B.t. corn products infringe Monsanto’s patent. The suit was filed in U.S. District Court in Delaware. Monsanto said the patent covers specific B.t. gene compositions that produce commercially useful levels of insecticidal proteins in plants.