SWEEGEN DECLARES VICTORY IN STEVIA PATENT CASE

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 3 (Bernama) -- Sweegen announced a landmark victory in the United States (US) Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, which has sided with the company and affirmed the invalidation of PureCircle's patents covering the highly sought-after stevia sweetener Rebaudioside M (Reb M).

This appellate victory further solidifies Sweegen’s technological leadership position in the stevia sweetener industry at large and Federal Circuit decision removes any lingering doubt that Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG) customers may be encumbered by PureCircle’s patents for using Sweegen’s Reb M.

Sweegen Chief Executive Officer, Steven Chen said as one of the staunchest stewards of proprietary technologies in wellness ingredients, Sweegen has actively defended its intellectual property rights while upholding a commitment to respecting the rights of others.

“This triumph in the US Court of Appeals serves to highlight Sweegen's dedication to principled innovation and fair competition within the industry.

“This victory not only strengthens Sweegen's position in the market but also contributes to the broader landscape of the stevia sweetener industry. Sweegen is positioned to lead the charge in shaping a landscape of limitless possibilities, delivering unparalleled sweetness to consumers and driving positive change on a global scale,” he said in a statement.

Sweegen is the primary producer of non-genetically modified organism (GMO) Reb M originating from the stevia leaf, made with a proprietary clean bioconversion method, in which Reb M, a highly coveted steviol glycoside molecule, plays a crucial role in the global production of stevia sweeteners.

In May 2022, Sweegen secured a groundbreaking summary judgment, declaring PureCircle's asserted patents related to the production of Reb M as invalid.

The affirmation by the US Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit solidifies Sweegen's position and removes any impediments that PureCircle's patents may have posed for producers in the US.

Specifically, the federal court’s Opinion confirmed the district court's decision that certain claims in the patents were found invalid due to a lack of written description.

A wellness ingredient and taste modulation technologies pioneer, Sweegen remains committed to driving positive change within the sweetener industry and will continue to invest in research and development to deliver cutting-edge solutions to its global customer base.

-- BERNAMA