US judge rules against Novozymes in patent infringement dispute with Danisco

May 7, 2012 - Danish biotech company Novozymes A/S (CPH:NZYM B) said today a US district court judge found its patent No. 7,713,723 invalid, thus overturning an earlier jury verdict in the patent infringement lawsuit against Danish enzymes maker Danisco A/S (CPH:DCO).

In October 2011, the jury of US District Court for the Western District of Wisconsin found Danisco guilty of wilfully infringing Novozymes' patent No. 7,713,723, which covers certain alpha-amylase enzymes for use in the biofuel and starch industries. As a result, Danisco was ordered to pay damages of USD 18.3 million (EUR 14.1m) to Novozymes.

Novozymes plans to appeal against the judge's decision. The new ruling will not affect the financial guidance for 2012, the company said.

The lawsuit, launched by Novozymes in May 2010, concerns certain Danisco products mainly used to produce ethanol from corn starch in the USA.

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