Juul Labs has asked the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) to block sales and imports of the NJOY Ace vapor device, claiming that the product infringes several Juul patents. It has also filed a complaint against NJOY with the U.S. District Court for the District of Arizona.
“Our technology, designed internally and in the U.S. and protected by our robust patent portfolio, has been the most effective product development to transition adult smokers from combustible cigarettes—switching over 2 million adult smokers in this country. Innovation is critical in this space to advance tobacco harm reduction,” said Juul Labs Chief Legal Officer Tyler Mace in a statement.
“When others infringe on our technology, we have no choice but to protect our intellectual property rights.”
This ITC complaint follows three prior successful actions from Juul Labs at the Commission, which all resulted in barring the importation and sale of infringing products, according to Juul Labs.
“Just like we have in three prior successful ITC actions that vindicated our company’s IP rights, we intend to reach the same result here,” said Mace.
The Juul Labs complaint also targets Altria Group, which agreed to acquire the NJOY in March after exchanging its minority investment in Juul for a heated tobacco product intellectual property license.
The NJOY Ace device received marketing authorization from the Food and Drug Administration in April 2022.