Updated February 19, 2007
An aerial view of Novozymes' plant in Franklinton. (Novozymes photo)
FRANKLINTON, N.C. - Novozymes, a world leader in the development of enzymes that could make alternative fuels more widely available, has two reasons to celebrate this week.
President Bush is coming for a visit its Novozymes North American subsidiary plant in Franklinton on Thursday, and on Monday the company announced that it had prevailed in a patent lawsuit against a rival.
Novozymes, which has its headquarters in Denmark, will receive more than $4 million from Danisco after a federal court in Delaware on Friday ruled in Novozymes’ favor. Novozymes had sued Danisco for infringing on its patent covering the enzyme Spezyme Ethyl, which is used to help produce biofuel.
President Bush announced he would visit Novozymes last week. The Franklinton facility employs some 350 people and is largely focused on production of enzymes. Production of alternative fuels is a major part of Bush’s energy agenda. In his recent State of the Union speech, Bush called for 20 percent of U.S. fuel to be derived from alternative sources over the next 10 years.
Novozymes not only provides enzymes for use in creation of corn-based ethanol but also has developed new technology for conversion of other biomass, such as wood, to alternative fuel.
In the court case, the judge also ruled that Danisco had willfully infringed the patent and doubled damages. It also awarded attorneys’ fees and court costs with those amounts to be determined, Novozymes said in a statement.
“We are satisfied that the court concluded that Danisco willfully infringed Novozymes’ patent rights and entered a permanent injunction against Danisco,” said Kristian Merser, Novozymes’ general counsel, in a statement. “Novozymes invests a lot of money in research and development in order to provide and improve products for our customers. Our patents protect this investment and insure that our competitors compete fairly with us in the market place.”
Shares in Novozymes, which are traded on the Denmark stock exchange and in the U.S. under pink sheets (symbol: NVZMF), were up slightly after the news.
Novozymes filed suit against Genecore International in 2005. Danisco later acquired Genecore. Last August, the federal court ruled against Danisco and its competing product with Novozymes was withdrawn from the market.
Both companies have 30 days to appeal the ruling, Novozymes said.
Novozymes produces more than 700 different enzyme and microorganism products and touts itself as the “iotech-based world leader in enzymes and microorganisms.” Its products are sold in more than 130 countries and are used by 40 different industries for such uses as water, energy, raw materials and waste.Copyright 2010 by Capitol Broadcasting Company. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
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An aerial view of Novozymes' plant in Franklinton. (Novozymes photo)
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President Bush is coming for a visit its Novozymes North American subsidiary plant in Franklinton on Thursday, and on Monday the company announced that it had prevailed in a patent lawsuit against a rival.
Novozymes, which has its headquarters in Denmark, will receive more than $4 million from Danisco after a federal court in Delaware on Friday ruled in Novozymes’ favor. Novozymes had sued Danisco for infringing on its patent covering the enzyme Spezyme Ethyl, which is used to help produce biofuel.
President Bush announced he would visit Novozymes last week. The Franklinton facility employs some 350 people and is largely focused on production of enzymes. Production of alternative fuels is a major part of Bush’s energy agenda. In his recent State of the Union speech, Bush called for 20 percent of U.S. fuel to be derived from alternative sources over the next 10 years.
Novozymes not only provides enzymes for use in creation of corn-based ethanol but also has developed new technology for conversion of other biomass, such as wood, to alternative fuel.
In the court case, the judge also ruled that Danisco had willfully infringed the patent and doubled damages. It also awarded attorneys’ fees and court costs with those amounts to be determined, Novozymes said in a statement.
“We are satisfied that the court concluded that Danisco willfully infringed Novozymes’ patent rights and entered a permanent injunction against Danisco,” said Kristian Merser, Novozymes’ general counsel, in a statement. “Novozymes invests a lot of money in research and development in order to provide and improve products for our customers. Our patents protect this investment and insure that our competitors compete fairly with us in the market place.”
Shares in Novozymes, which are traded on the Denmark stock exchange and in the U.S. under pink sheets (symbol: NVZMF), were up slightly after the news.
Novozymes filed suit against Genecore International in 2005. Danisco later acquired Genecore. Last August, the federal court ruled against Danisco and its competing product with Novozymes was withdrawn from the market.
Both companies have 30 days to appeal the ruling, Novozymes said.
Novozymes produces more than 700 different enzyme and microorganism products and touts itself as the “iotech-based world leader in enzymes and microorganisms.” Its products are sold in more than 130 countries and are used by 40 different industries for such uses as water, energy, raw materials and waste.Copyright 2010 by Capitol Broadcasting Company. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
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