Abbott Sues Former R&D Scientist Over Nutrition Trade Secrets

Abbott Laboratories sued a research and development scientist for allegedly downloading thousands of confidential documents concerning formulations for products, like nutritional drink Ensure, shortly before resigning.

Roger Tyre allegedly downloaded about 3,000 Abbott documents to a USB in 2018, which his subsequent employer Better Nutritionals LLC found in his office after firing him in March, according to the complaint filed Tuesday in the US District Court for the Northern District of Illinois. Abbott says Tyre may now be “peddling” its trade secrets to competitors that design, manufacture, or sell nutrition products.

Tyre worked in Abbott’s nutrition division where he conducted ...