Celanese Patent Spat Over Sweeteners to Be Probed at ITC

The International Trade Commission said Nov. 22 it will investigate a complaint from Celanese Corp. that Chinese companies are violating its patent for making an artificial sweetener (Certain High-Potency Sweeteners, Processes for Making Same, and Products Containing the Same, USITC, No. 3180, 337 Investigation 11/22/16).

Celanese claims Suzhou Hope Technology, Anhui Jinhe and Vitasweet, all of China, infringe its patent, No. 9,024,016, for a process to make acesulfame potassium, a synthetic sweetener used in food, drinks and drugs known as Ace-K.

Celanese, which filed its complaint Oct. 26, said it uses the technology to make its Sunett ...