Round 1

WASHINGTON - Despite a flurry of publicity last week surrounding the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office's decision to revoke broad claims granted to Agracetus for all genetically modified forms of cotton, the patents will remain valid and enforceable during an appeals process that could last two years.

Patent office officials also moved to characterize the decision to rescind the claims as one based on the discovery of prior disclosure of the invention, rather than an acquiescence to challenges of the patent based on the breadth of the claims...