July 31, 2007

2 Min Read
Biothera and MIT File Patent Infringement Lawsuit

EAGAN, MN – July 30, 2007 – Biothera and Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) filed a patent infringement lawsuit today against Biorgin, a Brazilian company, for selling beta 1,3/1,6 gluco polysaccharide ingredients in the U.S. for nutritional supplements and functional foods. Biothera and MIT charged Biorigin with six counts of patent infringement in a lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court, Northern District of Illinois. Massachusetts Institute of Technology owns and licenses to Biothera certain patents that are part of the litigation. The plaintiffs seek a permanent injunction and unspecified damages from Biorigin.

“Biothera has a formidable intellectual property portfolio that provides exclusivity to market our gluco polysaccharide in the U.S.,” said Richard G. Mueller, Biothera president and chief executive officer.

Biothera has more than 40 U.S. patents and patents pending, as well as additional patents in more than 20 countries, protecting the matter of composition, manufacturing and use of beta 1,3/1,6 gluco polysaccharide derived from yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae).

Biorigin is a business unit of Zilor companies with its research and development center located in Macatuba, Brazil and with sales offices in Lençóis Paulista, Brazil and São Paulo, Brazil. According to Biorigin’s website, the company sells yeast cell walls that contains a high percentage of manannoligosacharides and beta glucans, which enhance immune system
responses.

Biothera has successfully defended its patents against infringement in four previous lawsuits.

About Biothera, the Immune Health Company
Biothera is a biotechnology company dedicated to improving immune health. The company manufactures and markets food-grade ingredients that support healthy immune function to the functional food, nutritional supplement, cosmetic and animal nutrition markets. Biothera is also developing pharmaceuticals that engage the innate immune system to fight cancer. Other applications include hematopoiesis (production of blood cells) and infectious disease. Website: www.biotherapharma.com.

Contact:
David Walsh
VP, Communications
Biothera, the Immune Health Company
651-256-4606
[email protected]

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