Juul Wins Imports Ban on Altria Vaping Devices at Trade Agency

Imports of an Altria Group Inc. unit’s e-cigarette products will be blocked after a US trade agency upheld a judge’s findings that NJoy’s Ace pod-vaporizer devices infringe four Juul Labs Inc. patents.

The US International Trade Commission affirmed the thrust of Administrative Law Judge Doris Johnson Hines’ first-round decision that found NJoy’s Ace devices infringe US Patent Nos. 11,134,722, 11,606,981, 10,130,123, and 10,709,173, according to a notice issued Wednesday.

The ban will become effective on March 31 unless the Trump administration overrides it on public policy grounds during the 60-day presidential review period. It will last ...