Fed. Circ. Backs $85M Patent Antitrust Verdict Against Ingevity

By Editorial Team

The Federal Circuit upheld a $85 million antitrust verdict against Ingevity, rejecting the company’s appeal regarding patent misuse. The case involved Ingevity tying patent licenses to purchases of its automobile carbon filtering technology.

The Federal Circuit’s decision on Wednesday affirmed the Delaware jury’s verdict against Ingevity. The company had argued that it was entitled to a statutory patent misuse defense, which was rejected by the court.

The case, involving the patent RE38,844 for a method to reduce emissions from evaporative emissions control systems, saw law firms Cravath Swaine and King & Spalding representing the parties. Companies BASF SE and Ingevity Corp. were involved in the litigation, which took place in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit.

This ruling is significant in the realm of patent law and antitrust, setting a precedent for companies regarding the tying of patent licenses to product purchases. The $85 million verdict showcases the potential financial repercussions for companies found guilty of antitrust violations related to patents.