News 06
For Immediate Release: October 17, 2001
Contact: Suzanne Shelton (847) 676-4337
SuzanneSheltonPR@aol.com
Sabinsa Corporation Files Suits Against GENI, Ministar and Naturex on ForsLean® and Bioperine® Patent Infringement
PISCATAWAY, N.J. - Sabinsa Corporation announced today that it had filed two
patent infringement lawsuits against GENI, Inc. which does business as Good Earth Nutritional Ingredients, Ministar International, Inc. and Naturex.
Action was taken for alleged infringement of Sabinsa's US patent 5,804,596 identifying "the use of forskohlin (forskohlin) as a 'dietary supplement' for the 'dietary purposes of promoting lean body mass or shifting the proportion of mass in favor of lean body mass" and for US Patents 5,536,506; 5,744,161; 5,972,382; and 6,054,585 which identify the "use of piperine to increase the bioavailability of nutritional compounds."
Sabinsa's Sr. Executive Vice President, Mark C. Sysler, stated that "these patents are the result of extensive research and development by Sabinsa. Sabinsa's discovery of non-traditionally known benefits of these herbs is why patents were issued, and why our customers are marketing ForsLean® and Bioperine® . We have an obligation to protect this investment for our customers."
Sabinsa introduced Bioperine® (piperine) to the dietary supplement industry based on successful clinical studies showing that as little as 5 mg per day of the product, taken in combination with other dietary supplement compounds, could significantly increase the absorption and bioavailability to the supplemented nutrient. ForsLean (forskohlin) continues to show promise, based on clinical evaluation, as a safe nutrient in weight management supplements.
