OpTree

Mannatech has been playing in the trademark infringement game which seems to be all the rage these days. A jury in Texas has ruled that Glycoproducts International has committed infringement of Mannatech’s patent and trademark relating to Ambrotose. In a case that has been pending since 2006, the jury found that the infringement upon Mannatech’s U.S. Patent No. 7,157,431 of Ambrotose, was willful and also ruled in favor of Mannatech on all patent validity issues. Mannatech is seeking an immediate injunction against Glucoproducts to prohibit them from selling any Ambrotose related product. Mannatech is also seeking reimbursement for legal costs.

Ambrotose is the brand name for a mixture containing certain plant sugars called glyconutrients. It is widely promoted for its health-giving properties. Mannatech is the primary seller of the product. Mannatech does over $100 million dollars in sales a year, in large part due to its use of the mixture. Ambrotose has been the cause of quite a few battles for the company as many naysayers claim that Mannatech has made false and misleading claims about the benefits of the Ambrotose.

This is finally some good news for the company which has been at the losing end of several lawsuits over the last few years. Mannatech has blamed their legal woes on declining profit and revenue.
“We are extremely pleased by these outcomes and will continue to vigorously defend our technology and cutting-edge research and development in the groundbreaking field of glyconutrients,” said Terry Persinger, president and CEO of Mannatech. “With 45 registered patents, five in the U.S. and 40 more internationally, and an additional 85 patents pending worldwide, we believe these favorable rulings reinforce our leadership position as a developer and provider of high-quality nutritional supplements.”

The verdict was a long time coming for the company. The jury heard five days of testimony before reaching their decision. Needless to say, although there are still questions about the benefits of Ambrotose, this is a huge victory for the company. Not only is this finally some good news for the company and its product line, but Mannatech is also finally on the winning end of a lawsuit. Although questions still remain about whether or not the company is making false claims about its products, Ambrotose is a huge seller for the company and this victory solidifies their position as the only retailer allowed to distribute it.

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