Tag: Vuse

ITC: IQOS Infringes on Vuse Patents

Photo: JHVEPhoto
Philip Morris International’s IQOS device infringes two patents owned by British American Tobacco subsidiary Reynolds American Inc., reports Bloomberg, citing a note posted by Judge Clark Cheney on the U.S. International Trade Commission’s website.
The next step is a likely review by the full commission, which has the power to halt products at the U.S. border and is scheduled to complete the investigation by Sept. 15.
IQOS is the only heat-not-burn product authorized for sale in the U.S., where it’s sold by Altria. Last year, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration allowed the company to market IQOS as reducing consumers’ exposure to harmful chemicals found in cigarettes.
Reynolds claims PMI and Altria copied patented technology that it had developed for its Vuse Vibe and Vuse Solo vaping products, for which it’s filed for FDA approval. The company complained to the ITC in April 2020.
Altria responded with its own patent infringement claims and a separate suit against Reynolds in May. Altria also lodged petitions with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office challenging the validity of a half-dozen Reynolds’ patents.

The judge has to make a determination on whether even temporarily removing such products is appropriate for public health and what alternatives there are for consumers.
Andre Calantzopoulos, executive chairman, PMI
Reynolds said it expects the judge will recommend an import ban, adding that the unauthorized use of its inventions “undermines our ability to invest and innovate and thereby reduce the health impact of our business.”
Philip Morris called the judge’s findings “one step in a long process that does not have an immediate effect” and it will present its position to the commission.
“BAT’s litigation in the U.S. is part of a worldwide attempt—which has been entirely unsuccessful to date—that is meant to undermine the heated-tobacco segment, where they lag far behind,” the company said.
PMI has also argued that, even if a patent violation is found, it’s not in the public’s interest to keep IQOS out of the U.S.
“The judge has to make a determination on whether even temporarily removing such products is appropriate for public health and what alternatives there are for consumers,” said PMI Executive Chairman Andre Calantzopoulos. “If we remove a product that exists, and the only alternative that people have are cigarettes, it’s a consideration of public health interest, and that has to be taken into account.”
May 18, 2021
BATSA opens first VUSE Inspiration store

Photo: BAT
British American Tobacco South Africa (BATSA) has opened the first VUSE Inspiration store in South Africa in the Canal Walk shopping center in Cape Town.
VUSE Inspiration stores will be opened at 67 existing sites throughout South Africa.
“To date, we have made an extensive investment in bringing Twisp into BATSA’s portfolio, and we plan to invest further in our tobacco harm reduction strategy in South Africa,” said BATSA General Manager Johnny Moloto in a statement. “We will be expanding our number of kiosks, investing in bringing our new products to market and enhancing the skills of our BAT team.”
Another 15 new sites in key locations will be added to the VUSE network by December as part of a significant expenditure project.
“The opening of our first flagship VUSE Inspiration store in South Africa is an important milestone in delivering on our harm reduction strategy and our investment in science and innovation to demonstrate the potential of our extended portfolio of products,” said Moloto.
March 29, 2021
Vuse Alto Vapor Brand Expands in the U.S.

Photo: R.J. Reynolds Vapor Co.
The Vuse vapor brand announced today a national expansion in the United States of Vuse Alto Golden Tobacco 5.0 percent and Alto Menthol 5.0 percent four-pod packs and the national release of Vuse Alto Golden Tobacco 2.4 percent and Alto Menthol 2.4 percent four-pod packs.
The four-pod packs provide adult vapor consumers with three Vuse Alto configuration options as they can now choose from single-pod, two-pod or four-pod packs. The national availability of four-pod packs gives Vuse the most expansive portfolio of choice for adult vapor consumers with three flavors, in three nicotine strengths across three configuration formats as well as the many options for device customization with a range of device colors, wraps and engraving options.
“Done responsibly, our ambition is to make Vuse the No. 1 vapor brand in the U.S. market,” said Christy Canary-Garner, vice president of Vuse commercial development at R.J. Reynolds Vapor Co, in a statement. “This portfolio expansion provides us with the opportunity to better compete and enhances our price competitiveness to drive conversion among existing adult vapor consumers and boost loyalty.
“The four-pod pack configuration is the most popular among competitive pod-mod vapor products, and four-pod packs enable Vuse Alto to compete against competitors on a per-pod price point. The new four-pod packs are available to all retail outlets.
“Coupled with our release of single pods in November of 2020, this national rollout of four-pod packs now gives adult Vuse consumers more options than any other brand.”
The national expansion of the four-pod packs will begin this week.
February 26, 2021
RAI Concludes PMTA filings for 2020

PHoto: RAI
Reynolds American Inc. (RAI), has filed its final premarket tobacco product application (PMTA) submissions with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to allow its Vuse and Velo brands to remain on the market in the United States.
Submitted Sept. 4, the filing concludes an 11-month process for RAI. The company has filed six applications for its Vuse Solo, Vuse Ciro and Vuse Vibe vapor products, as well as for its Velo nicotine lozenge and modern oral pouch products. Across the six applications, more than 530,000 pages of scientific data and more than 8,600 scientific documents have been submitted as part of the filings.
RAI parent company BAT says it is committed to reducing the health impact of its business with a multicategory approach that offers consumers a wide range of enjoyable and lower-risk alternatives to cigarettes. With noncombustible nicotine products now available in more than 40 countries, the group’s ambition is to exceed 50 million noncombustible consumers by 2030.
Kingsley Wheaton
“The U.S. is the world’s largest vaping market and so the completion of our PMTA filings is a really important step for us as we transform our organization, drive a step change in our ‘new categories’ business, and increase our non-combustible consumer base and revenues,” said Kingsley Wheaton, chief marketing officer of BAT.
“Our transformation is progressing very well and in the first six months of 2020 we attracted an additional 2.7 million new noncombustible consumers compared to the same time last year. Globally, we now have nearly 12 million regular noncombustible consumers and the U.S. will play a large part of our ambition to grow this number to at least 50 million by 2030.
“We remain fully committed to building a better tomorrow and reducing the health impact of our business by offering consumers a range of enjoyable and lower risk products including vapor, tobacco heating and modern oral nicotine products.”
The FDA’s PMTA deadline is Sept. 9.
September 7, 2020
PMI Countersues RJR For Patent Infringement

Photo: PMI
Philip Morris International (PMI) filed counterclaims against R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co. (RJR) for patent infringement in the federal court action that RJR commenced against PMI and Altria, PMI’s IQOS distributor in the U.S., on April 9, 2020 in the Eastern District of Virginia.
PMI also filed a partial motion to dismiss RJR’s claims against it. PMI believes that RJR’s infringement action is without merit, and that RJR’s own electronic nicotine delivery system (ENDS) products infringe multiple patents owned by PMI and Altria. PMI is bringing counterclaims to recover “the considerable damages” caused by RJR’s infringements.
“RJR appears to have brought this action in the hopes of stopping [PMI’s] innovative IQOS heated tobacco system, which has a proven track record in switching smokers away from combustible cigarettes, from disrupting its core business in combustible cigarettes and overtaking its secondary line of e-vapor products,” the filing states.
“Having failed to develop a competing offering in the heated tobacco space, RJR apparently now seeks to block that space in its entirety by bringing this meritless litigation. But in its haste to do so, RJR has overlooked the fact that its own line of e-vapor products (which are far less effective in switching smokers away from combustible cigarettes than IQOS) infringe multiple patents owned by [PMI].”
The counterclaim alleges that RJR was concerned by the commercial threat posed by IQOS, and RJR is now attempting to stop IQOS with this case. “But in its haste to stop IQOS, RJR committed two fatal errors. First, it asserted meritless patent claims,” the filing states. “Second, it overlooked the fact that its own e-vapor products infringe multiple patents owned by [PMI] and co-defendants Altria Client Services and Philip Morris USA, Inc. [PMI] thus responds to RJR’s Complaint and brings counterclaims to recover the considerable damages flowing from RJR’s infringement.”
June 30, 2020
Vuse Named ‘Pacesetter’

Photo: R.J. Reynolds Vapor Co.
R.J. Reynolds Vapor Co.’s (RJRVC) Vuse Alto and Vuse Ciro e-cigarettes were named two of the Top-10 product pacesetters by Information Resources Inc. (IRI), a data and analytics research group that closely monitors the consumer package goods (CPG) industry.
Each year top CPG brands are recognized as IRI New Product Pacesetters, a list highlighting innovation that are resonating most with consumers.
“Today’s adult nicotine consumers are looking for unique products that fit their modern-day lives, and Vuse has built a portfolio of options that have consumer moments in mind,” said Leila Medeiros, U.S. head of the Vuse brand.
“Our dynamic approach to developing vapor products, paired with our team’s unrivaled industry knowledge, global market scale and commitment to responsible marketing, means we can create brands that adult nicotine consumers prefer, and products that deliver unique, enjoyable and reliable experiences.”
R.J. Reynolds has submitted several Vuse products to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for marketing authorization.
June 24, 2020
BAT Launches E-cigarette Subscription Services

Photo: British American Tobacco
British American Tobacco (BAT) has launched personalized subscription services for its Vuse and Vype e-cigarette brands. With a variety of plans to choose from, vapers can sign up for monthly deliveries that offer “value, convenience and personalization.”
In the United Kingdom, BAT has introduced two monthly subscription services focusing on its award-winning Vype ePen3 and Vype ePod.
Each subscription plan includes a Vype ePen3 or Vype ePod every three months with a 25 percent saving on a three-month plan or a 33 percent saving on a six-month plan, both with no delivery charges. Each plan requires a minimum order of six packs per month.
In the United States, BAT continues to offer its popular Vuse Alto pod subscription service that includes a 10 percent discount on pods and free delivery.
June 5, 2020
Countermove: Altria Sues Reynolds Over Patent Infringement

Photo: Reynolds Vapor Co.
Altria Group has filed suit against competitor R.J. Reynolds Vapor Co. for patent infringement on e-cigarettes and associated products.
Earlier, Reynolds filed its own patent-infringement suit against Altria and Philip Morris International over their IQOS heat-not-burn cigarette, a competitor of Reynolds’ Eclipse.
Filed in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of North Carolina, USA, Altria’s suit claims that Reynolds Vapor, owned by Reynolds American Inc. (RAI), violated nine patents held by Altria Client Services in producing its Vuse Vapor e-cigarette line. Altria contends that Reynolds’ Vuse brand of e-cigarettes uses heating technology, mouthpieces, batteries and liquid-filled pods covered by Altria’s patents for its Juul e-vapor products.
“Reynolds Vapor has infringed on Altria’s intellectual property, and we are seeking financial damages for each of these violations,” Altria Client Services spokesman George Parman said Thursday, according to the story.
Altria seeks unspecified monetary compensation but asks for “treble damages” for “defendant’s willful infringement” of the patents, as well as awards of compensation, supplemental damages after discovery cutoff and attorneys’ fees and expenses.
June 3, 2020
Reynolds adds Vuse manufacturing capacity
R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co. will be producing Vuse digital vapor cigarettes in Tobaccoville, North Carolina, USA, for R.J. Reynolds Vapor Co. under a services agreement between the two companies. The firm will invest millions of dollars in high-speed e-cigarette manufacturing equipment and create 200 full-time manufacturing over the next four years.
“Vuse is a game-changing product and a tangible demonstration of our companies’ mission to transform the tobacco industry,” said Susan M. Cameron, president and CEO of Reynolds American Inc., the parent company of both R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co. and R.J. Reynolds Vapor Co.
“We need additional production capacity for Vuse to support the national roll-out of the brand, and the highly trained workforce here in our home state of North Carolina made it the perfect choice for our expansion location,” Cameron said.
Cameron said that Vuse is the top-selling vapor cigarette in Colorado and Utah, the two states in which it has broad distribution and full marketing support. A national roll-out of Vuse will begin this summer.
“If our past successes in converting smokers to Vuse are any indication of our future response from adult tobacco consumers nationwide, we’ll need new-generation, high-speed equipment and a larger workforce to support market demand,” Cameron said.
Hiring for the new full-time manufacturing positions will begin this summer and extend over the next four years. Installation of the new-generation equipment, too, will begin this summer.
Currently, production of Vuse cartridges and other components is done for R.J. Reynolds Vapor Co. at a contractor’s facility in Kansas. Cameron said that both the existing facility and the new equipment will be needed for the foreseeable future to meet anticipated market demand for Vuse.

May 23, 2014