Aker Receives 4 Krill Oil Patents in Australia

OSLOAker BioMarine received four krill innovation patents in Australia that contain claims covering krill oil and extraction of krill oil from denatured krill products, including a krill meal or powder. These Australian Innovation Patents (No. 2012101332, 2012101333, 2012101334 and 2012101335) provide eight years of protection for inventions for the Aker BioMarine claims, beginning on the filing date of the ultimate parent application on March 28, 2008.

The low threshold for patentability of Australian Innovation Patents also makes it extremely difficult for a defendant to invalidate them, which is also why they are dubbed 'the strongest patents in the world,'" said Matts Johansen, Aker BioMarine COO. These grants represent a before/after moment for the booming Australian krill oil market and we now look forward to exploring new opportunities and business models with interested players."

Krill oil patents have been a hotly debated topic in recent months. Aker BioMarine and  Neptune Technologies & Bioressources Inc. have been engaged in litigation and accusations regarding patent infringement.