People on the internet are claiming Monsanto patented glyphosate as an antibiotic, is this true?

Expert response from Chelsey Robinson

Former Global Preparedness Content Manager, Monsanto Company

Tuesday, 25/11/2014 11:52

Monsanto does have a patent that was issued in 2010 for glyphosate formulations’ antimicrobial activity; however, we do not have any plans for commercial applications of the technology. It is important to note that its antimicrobial properties are minor. 

Glyphosate does inhibit an enzymatic pathway in many bacteria and parasites, and a reasonable case can be made that glyphosate might be effective as an antimicrobial. (Technically, an antibiotic is naturally occurring, while antimicrobial covers a broader range of compounds, but most people use the terms interchangeably today.) 

Please take a look at this recent response to a question on patenting glyphosate as an antibiotic written by my colleague Dr. Dan Goldstein; here is an excerpt: 

“Companies with patented chemical technologies will generally try to patent all reasonable potential uses of that chemical in order to obtain maximal return from their research investments. Such uses cannot be speculative — we can’t patent glyphosate as jet fuel or nail polish remover because it clearly does not do those things — but glyphosate does inhibit an enzymatic pathway in many bacteria and parasites, and a reasonable case can be made that glyphosate might be effective as an antimicrobial. (Technically, an antibiotic is naturally occurring, while antimicrobial covers a broader range of compounds, but most people use the terms interchangeably today.) 

“A lot stands between a compound with antimicrobial activity in the test tube and a clinically effective antimicrobial agent. Alcohol kills microbes, but taking a beer for your earache is not going to work — you can’t get a high enough alcohol concentration in the body to kill the bacteria without killing the patient first.”

I would also invite you to read more about glyphosate and antimicrobial properties authored by my colleague John Vicini.