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(11)

EP 1 054 972 A2

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(88) Date of publication A3: 23.12.1999 (43) Date of publication: 29.11.2000 Bulletin 2000/48 (21) Application number: 99911676.7 (22) Date of filing: 18.02.1999

(51) International Patent Classification (IPC)7: C12N 15/31, C12N 15/82, C12N 15/10, C12N 1/21, C12N 5/10, A01H 5/00, C07K 14/24, A01N 63/02 (86) International application number: PCT/EP9901/015 (87) International publication number: WO 9942/589 (26.08.1999 Gazette 1999/34)

(84) Designated Contracting States: AT BE CH CY DE DK ES FI FR GB GR IE IT LI LU MC NL PT SE (30) Priority: 20.02.1998 US 27080 20.01.1999 US 116439 P (71) Applicants: Novartis Pharma AG. 4058 Basel (CH) BE CH DE DK ES FI FR GB GR IE IT LI LU MC NL PT SE CY  Novartis-Erfindungen Verwaltungsgesellschaft m.b.H. 1235 Wien (AT) AT

(72) Inventors: KRAMER, Vance, Cary Hillsborough, NC 27278 (US) MORGAN, Michael, Kent Durham, NC 27707 (US) ANDERSON, Arne, Robert Zebulon, NC 27597 (US) HART, Hope, Prim Fuquay-Varina, NC 27526 (US) Warren, Gregory, Wayne Cary, NC 27513 (US) DUNN, Martha, Marie Hillsborough, NC 27278 (US) CHEN, Jeng, Shong Chapel Hill, NC 27514 (US) (74) Representative: Becker, Konrad et al Novartis AG,Patent und MarkenabteilungAgribusinessWerk Rosental 4002 Basel 4002 Basel (CH)