FMC Corporation, an agricultural sciences company, has announced that the Zhengzhou Court, in the Henan province of China, has ruled in its favour in a patent infringement lawsuit against Henan Yongfeng Chemical Co., Ltd; Suqian Haide Pharmaceutical and Chemical Co., Ltd; Xinxiang Runyu New Material Technology Co., Ltd; and Wang Shichao (collectively “defendants”).
FMC had filed the lawsuit in May 2022 against the defendants for infringement of a patented key intermediate, used in the manufacture of chlorantraniliprole, FMC’s leading insect control active ingredient. On September 9, 2022, all the defendants were found guilty by the Chinese court, of infringing FMC’s composition of matter patent for a key intermediate to manufacture chlorantraniliprole and ordered to compensate FMC for related damages.
“FMC appreciates the court issuing this quick judgment to protect FMC’s intellectual property rights in China. Intellectual property rights encourage the continued innovation of crop protection solutions by recognizing the significant time, money and commitment invested in discovering new active ingredients. These rights exist in the interest of farmers, customers, investors, employees, suppliers and partners,” said Pramod Thota, president for FMC in Asia Pacific.
Thota also added that FMC has continued to demonstrate that we have extensive and defensible patents covering manufacturing, manufacturing ingredients, formulation and use that extends well beyond the chlorantraniliprole active ingredient composition of matter patent. We will continue to vigorously defend our intellectual property in China and around the world.”
FMC invests heavily in the discovery of new active ingredients, the development of innovative formulations and biologicals in addition to the advancement of precision and digital agriculture technologies that support sustainable agriculture and improved food security.
