dsm-firmenich would have initiated legal proceedings in China for patent infringement, according to Premium Beauty News. The group would have filed suit before the Xiong'an district court, in Hebei province, targeting several Chinese entities, including a sclareol producer and a research institute.
The complaint would concern the unauthorised use of a patent filed by Firmenich in 2009, relating to a biotechnological process for producing sclareol. This aromatic chemical compound, naturally present in clary sage, is a widely used intermediate in perfumery, notably for manufacturing ingredients with amber notes such as Ambrox® Super.
dsm-firmenich would have asked the court to order the defendants to cease this unauthorised use and to compensate the company for the alleged infringement. Amaury Roquette, executive vice president of the Perfumery & Beauty Ingredients division, stated that the group relies on “a strong portfolio of proprietary technologies” and on “notre position de premier plan en matière de propriété intellectuelle, fondée sur nos brevets et notre expertise approfondie du sclaréol et de ses dérivés”.
He added that dsm-firmenich remain “déterminés à engager toutes les actions en justice nécessaires pour garantir le respect des brevets exclusifs de l'entreprise ainsi que la protection de nos investissements, de nos innovations et de nos clients dans le monde entier”.
