Altria Unit NJoy’s Case Over Juul’s E-Cigarettes Gets ITC Probe

The US International Trade Commission said it’s launched an investigation based on a patent-infringement complaint Altria Group Inc.’s NJoy LLC filed seeking to block US imports of Juul Labs Inc.’s e-cigarette devices.

NJoy filed its ITC complaint on Aug. 22, along with another in the US District Court for the District of Delaware. In both actions, NJoy alleges that Juul’s electronic nicotine delivery system, which comprises disposable “JUULpod” cartridges and the vaporizing devices into which they’re inserted, infringes US Patent Nos. 10,334,881; and 11,497,864.

ITC investigations typically take 15-18 months, faster than district court cases, which usually are ...