The company took out/filed a patent on a genetically engineered tomato.
The sentence are confused for me because of the highlighted verbs. There are their definitions (borrowed from the Cambrige Dictionary), related to the context:
to take sth out: to arrange to get something from a company, bank, etc.
As for me, the above proclamation may be then interpreted either as "the company sent all required documents to a suitable authority with intent to be awarded the patent in the future" or as it has received the patent already.
to file: to officially record something, especially in a law court.
It seems the meaning that the company has already received the patent is the most appropriate.
So how does these verbs shold be understood? Has the company got the patent on the genetically engineered tomato when a paper issues an article titled so or has it mere a patent pending?