Corteva and Inari Reach Settlement in Seed Technology Lawsuit

Corteva and Inari have reached a confidential settlement resolving a lawsuit filed by Corteva in September 2023 over access to and use of seed materials.

Under the agreement, Inari will destroy Corteva material it obtained from seed depositories, along with material developed from those deposits. Inari will also assign to Corteva intellectual property related to edited versions of Corteva events.

The companies also agreed to negotiate certain licensing arrangements, while the remaining terms of the settlement will remain confidential.

Corteva said the case reinforces the importance of patent and plant variety protection systems in agricultural innovation, as well as the rules governing access to biological materials held in patent depositories.

Both companies said compliance with patent law, contractual obligations and rules covering deposited biological material is important to maintaining investment and collaboration in seed development.

The settlement closes a multi-year legal dispute while potentially opening the door to future licensing arrangements between Corteva and Inari.