PR95226

Zanoprima Lifesciences Files Patent Infringement Actions Against Hangsen International to Enforce Its Groundbreaking Enzymatic Process for Synthesizing (S)-Nicotine

WACO, Texas, March 30, 2022 /PRNewswire=KYODO JBN/ --

On March 12, 2022, Zanoprima Lifesciences Ltd. ("Zanoprima") filed a Complaint

for Patent Infringement (

https://static1.squarespace.com/static/60871c85fd6297141367d5f2/t/6230788eb3fc9b21dcf0beb0/1647343776701/2022.03.12+-+Zanoprima+v+Hangsen+-+Complaint+%28FILED%29.pdf

) against Hangsen International Group Ltd. ("Hangsen") in the U.S. District

Court, Civil No. 22-cv-00268 ("Complaint"). In its Complaint, Zanoprima alleges

that Hangsen has violated its patent entitled "Process for Making

(S)-Nicotine," (U.S. Patent No. 10,913,962 (

https://static1.squarespace.com/static/60871c85fd6297141367d5f2/t/623078aaf32e75434d516af8/1647343789238/Zanoprima+Patent+No.+10%2C913%2C962.pdf

)) ("Zanoprima's Patent") through Hangsen's manufacture and importation into

the U.S. market products containing synthetic nicotine that are manufactured

using Zanoprima's patented process.

Zanoprima is the first company to manufacture and make commercially available

an enzymatically synthesized form of pure (S)-nicotine – SyNic (TM) – that is

chemically identical to that derived from a tobacco plant but devoid of harmful

tobacco-specific nitrosamines, carcinogens, alkaloids, and other impurities

that accompany tobacco-derived nicotine.  

Ashok Narasimhan, CEO of Zanoprima, stated, "Over many years, Zanoprima has

invested substantial time, resources, intellectual capital, and scientific

expertise into developing Zanoprima's groundbreaking enzymatic patented process

for synthesizing an (S)-nicotine that is devoid of tobacco-specific

nitrosamines and other impurities.  Zanoprima's legal action reflects our

company's dedication to vigorously protecting our intellectual property in the

U.S. and around the world."

Zanoprima's complaint alleges that, after publication of Zanoprima's Patent,

Hangsen filed a Chinese Patent Application describing a process that copied the

process invented by Zanoprima, but Hangsen's patent application was rejected by

the Chinese Patent Office in June 2021 citing Zanoprima's patent as prior art.

The Complaint also alleges Hangsen imports into the U.S. and sells products

containing "alleged high-purity synthetic (S)-nicotine and nicotine products

that are marketed and sold under various names including MOTiVO Synthetic

S-Nicotine," and that such imported products "are manufactured by a process

that practices every step of claim 1" of the Zanoprima Patent.

In addition to seeking damages for infringement, Zanoprima seeks preliminary

and permanent injunctive relief to prevent Hangsen from continuing its

infringing actions.

"Zanoprima's process for manufacturing SyNic (TM) represents a technological

innovation that provides a fully traceable (S)-nicotine, with high levels of

enantiomeric and chemical purity, which is commercially available at prices

that rival that of tobacco-derived nicotine. Further, SyNic (TM) represents the

greatest opportunity to facilitate the movement towards a tobacco free world,"

Mr. Narasimhan said.  

READ THE FULL RELEASE HERE ( https://www.zanoprima.com/updates ).

SOURCE: Zanoprima Lifesciences Ltd.

CONTACT:  Daniel Prati, Esq., Norton Rose Fulbright,

daniel.prati@nortonrosefulbright.com; Marc Collier, Esq., Norton Rose

Fulbright, marc.collier@nortonrosefulbright.com