United States Patent And Trademark Office

News in Brief

Kemin adds patent to Neumentix spearmint extract IP portfolio

02-Jan-2018 By Stephen Daniells

The US Patent and Trademark Office has granted a patent to Kemin to support the technology behind its lines of spearmint, KI110 and KI42, used in the company’s cognition-enhancing ingredient, Neumentix.

USPTO grants notice of allowance for NAI’s sustained release beta-alanine

04-Dec-2017 By Adi Menayang

The US Patent and Trademark Office has granted a Notice of Allowance for the branded, sustained-release beta-alanine ingredient SR CarnoSyn by Natural Alternatives International.

Rimfrost says review of two of Aker's US patents gives it leverage

29-Aug-2017 By Hank Schultz

A ruling by the US Patent and Trademark Office has reignited the krill wars, with Norwegian company Rimfrost AS claiming the ruling could invalidate all of the claims relating to two patents held by rival Aker BioMarine AS.

Kemin and OmniActive battle over blue light IP for lutein

28-Nov-2016 By Stephen Daniells

Lutein suppliers Kemin and OmniActive are locked in a legal battle over IP around blue light claims, with the International Trade Commission investigating the dispute, and an inter partes review of the patents. 

Aker files patent suit against new Chinese krill oil competitor

05-Oct-2016 By Hank Schultz

Litigation in the krill sphere continues to proliferate, with a new suit from Aker BioMarine against Chinese firm Luhua BioMarine. 

Bodybuilding vs Jim Stoppani: Injunctions filed and GNC pulled in

27-Sep-2016 By Stephen Daniells

The legal battle between Bodybuilding.com and Dr Jim Stoppani has entered a new phase with GNC being pulled into the lawsuit following the launch of its JYM 2.0 range.

Jim Stoppani files countersuit against Bodybuilding.com over JYM mark

25-Jul-2016 By Stephen Daniells

The battle over the JYM brand of sports nutrition products continues, with PhD Fitness and its principal Dr Jim Stoppani filing a countersuit in the US District Court for the District of Idaho.

Bodybuilding.com files lawsuit over JYM mark

08-Jul-2016 By Stephen Daniells

Online retail giant Bodybuilding.com has filed a lawsuit against PhD Fitness and its principal Dr Jim Stoppani over the JYM mark used on a range of bodybuilding products.

Sabinsa concludes curcumin patent suit that was part of a series involving Indian suppliers

06-Jan-2016 By Hank Schultz

Sabinsa Corp. has prevailed in yet another patent infringement suit based on its Curcumin C3 Complex ingredient. The most recent settlement is one in a series of suits the company filed to defend its patents in this red-hot sector.

Aker BioMarine gets two ‘important’ US patents

26-May-2015 By Stephen DANIELLS

The US Patent and Trademark Office has granted krill oil supplier Aker BioMarine two process patents, a development described by the company as ‘important’.

Neptune gets partly favorable krill oil patent ruling, but royalty payouts await appeal

24-Mar-2015 By Hank Schultz

In what one side is billing as the final act in the krill wars in North America, the US Patent and Trademark Office has ruled to uphold certain claims of a longstanding patent held by Neptune Technologies and Bioressources. But the handle of the buried...

Neptune, Aker end patent struggles with licensure agreement

17-Dec-2013 By Hank Schultz

Some things have seemed immutable: Death. Taxes. The Krill Wars. But the latter has (mostly) fallen off that list with the announcement this morning that fierce competitors Neptune Technologies & Bioressources and Aker BioMarine have reached an 11th-hour...

BioCell Technology gets sixth US patent for BioCell Collagen ingredient

06-Dec-2013

The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) has granted US Patent 8,563,045 to BioCell Technology pertaining to the dietary ingredient BioCell Collagen.

USPTO rejects one of Neptune's krill patents; appeal forthcoming

16-May-2013 By Hank Schultz

In the latest development in the nutraceutical world’s equivalent of the Wars of the Roses, the United States Patent and Trademark Office has ruled on a reexamination of a Neptune Bioressources and Technologies patent and has rejected all of its 148 claims.

Xanthigen gets US patent for obesity-related effects

04-Feb-2013 By Stephen DANIELLS

The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) has issued a patent for Xanthigen, a brown seaweed extract-pomegranate oil mix, for ‘treating obesity’.

Neptune ups ante by filing unfair trade complaint against krill competitors

30-Jan-2013 By Hank Schultz

In another busy day in the ongoing struggle  among krill oil suppliers over IP protection, a trade complaint was filed, this time with the International Trade Commission, and the re-examination of a patent passed a procedural benchmark that one company...

Brain ingredient Magtein covered by new patent for foods and food composition

10-Jan-2013

The US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) has granted a patent to Magceutics for its Magnesium L-Threonate ingredient for food and all food compositions.

Demographics will continue to drive cardiovascular category growth: ENI President

20-Nov-2012 By Hank Schultz

The cardiovascular health segment is here to stay, with the surge in product demand by baby boomers ensuring that growth will continue, says Cal Bewicke, president of Ethical Naturals Inc.

Neptune gets new U.S. krill patent, files lawsuits; Aker seeks re-examination

03-Oct-2012 By Hank Schultz

In the latest development in the ongoing struggle over krill oil patent protection, Neptune Technologies and Bioressources has been granted a U.S. continuation patent and competitor Aker BioMarine has filed a request for re-examination of that patent. ...

Coffee antioxidants row latest: KonaRed claims victory; VDF insists it isn’t over yet

24-Jul-2012 By Elaine Watson

A legal spat between VDF FutureCeuticals (VDF FC) and juice maker KonaRed over coffee fruit antioxidants has moved into a new phase, with KonaRed claiming victory but VDF insisting the dispute is far from over following a ruling from the US patent and...

Court to stay patent infringement litigation vs Enzymotec while Neptune’s krill patent is re-examined

08-Mar-2012 By Elaine Watson

The court handling a patent infringement lawsuit filed by Neptune Technologies and Bioressources against Israeli nutritional lipids supplier Enzymotec has agreed to stay  proceedings until a re-examination of the krill oil patent at issue is completed.

US Patent Office to re-examine second Neptune patent

27-Feb-2012 By Elaine Watson

The US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) has granted a request from Aker BioMarine to re-examine another US patent recently awarded to its arch rival Neptune Technologies & Bioressources.

What can be patented in the world of natural ingredients?

09-Jan-2012 By Elaine Watson

What can be patented in the world of natural ingredients? More than you think, Minneapolis-based patent attorney Gary Speier tells Elaine Watson.

US patent office grants Aker request to re-examine Neptune's patent; Neptune accuses Aker of 'misleading characterization' of prior art

22-Dec-2011 By Elaine Watson

The US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) has granted Aker BioMarine's request to re-examine a krill oil patent just awarded to arch rival Neptune Technologies & Bioressources.

Neptune and Aker engage in public war-of-words over krill patent

17-Nov-2011 By Elaine Watson

Suggestions by Aker Biomarine that Neptune Technologies and Bioressources misrepresented the novelty of the inventions claimed in its newly-granted krill oil patent are “baseless”, Neptune bosses have insisted.

Neptune secures US patent for krill cardio health benefits

16-Nov-2011 By Elaine Watson

Neptune Technologies & Bioressources has bolstered its intellectual property portfolio further after securing a new US patent (No. 8,057,825) awarding it the exclusive use of krill extracts in the US as a method for reducing cholesterol, platelet...

‘Undeserved’ patents bigger issue for industry than ‘fast track’ postponement

11-May-2011 By Stephen Daniells

The indefinite postponement of the proposed Track One prioritized patent examination program will not affect the natural products industry very much, and pales in comparison to the problem of undeserved patents, says a leading industry figure.

Verdure gets 2 more patents for pomegranate extract

28-Apr-2011

The US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) has granted two patents covering the Pomella pomegranate extract brands, Indiana-based Verdure Sciences has announced.

Cyvex's Cognisetin receives US patent as memory enhancer

06-Jan-2011 By Stephen Daniells

The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) has issued a Notice of Allowance (NOA) for the branded ingredient Cognisetin. The patent is specific to methods of using flavonoids to enhance memory.

Verdure gets patent for pomegranate extract

24-Feb-2010

The US Patent Office has issued a patent for Indiana-based Verdure Sciences for its pomegranate extract, as the company seeks to strengthen it position in the industry.

Burcon files for GRAS for canola extracts

20-Jan-2010 By Shane Starling

Canadian functional protein developer, Burcon NutraScience Corporation, has taken another step to commercializing its canola protein extracts by filing for GRAS (generally recognized as safe) with the Food and Drug Administration.

Kemin wins lutein patent renewal

11-Jun-2009 By Shane Starling

Iowa-based supplier, Kemin Health, has been reissued patents first issued in 1995 that will “solidify its position” as a leading supplier of the eye health ingredient, lutein.

Burcon gains new patent on flax protein isolates

24-Jan-2008 By Lorraine Heller

Canadian R&D company Burcon has been granted a new US patent on
its process for producing flax protein isolates - an innovation
said to result in a higher protein yield and improved product.

Sabinsa gets Bioperine patent in Canada

07-Aug-2007 By staff reporter

Sabinsa Corporation announced it has secured a patent in Canada for
its standardized black pepper extract Bioperine, thereby giving the
company proprietary rights to the ingredient throughout North
America.

Sabinsa's BioPerine patent confirmed

20-Dec-2006 By Clarisse Douaud

The US Patent and Trademark Office has completed a formal review of
Sabinsa Corporation'spatent for black pepper extract, BioPerine,
and has found the intellectual property to be valid.

Rice bran products gets clearance on heart disease

02-Feb-2004

Clearing the final hurdle for a new patent, nutraceutical company
NutraCea could soon be marketing its stabilised rice bran
derivatives on the back of claims to beat cardiovascular disease.

Tishcon files trademark infringement lawsuits

25-Apr-2002

Tishcon, the US manufacturer of nutritional supplements, has filed
two lawsuits claiming that its competitors have infringed its
trademarks.