US court dismisses Solutia patent suit against Kumho, Sinorgchem

15 July 2010 22:12  [Source: ICIS news]

HOUSTON (ICIS news)--A US federal judge has ruled against Solutia in the company's patent-infringement lawsuit against Jiangsu Sinorgchem and Korea Kumho Petrochemical Co (KKPC).

Solutia had no immediate comment on Thursday regarding on the development.

Solutia subsidiary Flexsys accused Singorgchem of infringing on its patents for making a rubber anti-degradant and its precursor 4-aminodiphenylamine (4-ADPA).

KKPC became entangled in the lawsuit because it bought 4-ADPA from Sinorgchem so it could produce its own anti-degradant for tyres.

On 6 July, Judge Sara Lioi ruled in favour of Sinorgchem, finding, among other things, that the Singorchem process used too much water to infringe on the Flexsys 4-ADPA patent.

Solutia's claims against Kumho were also dismissed since Kumho was buying 4-ADPA that did not infringe on the Flexsys patent.

Sinorgchem said that with the conclusion of the lawsuit, it could freely compete in US and worldwide markets.

Calls to Solutia and to a Kumho office in the US were not immediately returned.

Flexsys sued the companies in 2005.

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By: Al Greenwood
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