Corteva, Inari settle US dispute over seed patents during trial

Adds companies' statement on settlement in bullet 4

By Blake Brittain

Sept 28 (Reuters) - Agricultural technology giant Corteva Agriscience CTVA.N has settled a lawsuit accusing startup rival Inari Agriculture of illegally obtaining and copying its patented corn and soybean seeds, the companies said in a filing in Delaware federal court.

• The companies resolved the case days into a trial in Delaware that had started on September 23

• Corteva and Inari asked the court late Sunday to dismiss the case with prejudice, which means it cannot be refiled

• The filing did not disclose financial terms of the settlement but said that Inari would destroy all Corteva seeds and other biological materials in its possession

• The companies said in a statement on Monday that they have agreed to negotiate "certain license agreements" and that the rest of the settlement's terms are confidential

• Corteva sued Inari in 2023

• Inari denied the allegations and argued the patents were invalid

• Corteva spun off from DowDuPont in 2019

The case is Corteva Agriscience LLC v. Inari Agriculture Inc, US District Court for the District of Delaware, No. 1:23-cv-01059.

For Corteva: Peter Bicks of Orrick Herrington & Sutcliffe

For Inari: Dimitrios Drivas of White & Case

Read more:

Corteva competitor Inari must face seed patent lawsuit

(Reporting by Blake Brittain in Washington)