News in Brief 32632

The Cosmetic Packaging Group, a division of O.BERK Co.¸ is supplying packaging for the new line of teen skin care products from TESS (Teen Everyday Skincare System). Embria Health Sciences donated $20,000 to Vitamin Angels to help support its Operation 20/20 initiative, designed to help eradicate childhood blindness due to vitamin A deficiency by the year 2020. Nutrition 21 received an exclusive license from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) for pharmaceutical uses of chromium histidinate, and one of two licenses for other uses of the compounda complex of chromium and histidine. Nutratech Inc. announced its patent infringement lawsuit against Syntech (SSPF) International Inc. over the sale of Citrus aurantium extract is still moving forward after the court denied Syntechs late 2006 motion to have the case dismissed. Alpha Packaging was recognized as the 2007 Supplier of the Year by the National Association of Container Distributors. AMINO GmbH was granted Certificates of Suitability (CEPs) by the European Directorate for the Quality of Medicines (EDQM) for the production of isoleucine and threonine via AMINOs fermentation process. Bio-Engineered Supplements & Nutrition (BSN) was the victor in a case before the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas, which significantly limited the scope of San Francisco-based Medical Research Institutes (MRI) U.S. 6,905,707 patent claims; MRI had brought suit against BSN alleging BSNs Nitrix product infringed on the patent. Indena broke ground on a new facility to produce semisynthetic paclitaxel, to be marketed alongside the natural paclitaxel the company produces. Indigo Labs relocated its contract manufacturing operations into a larger California facility; contact the company at 4039 Calle Platino, Ste. C, Oceanside, CA 92056, www.indigo-labs.com. Living Naturally LLC filed a federal law suit against Orderdog Inc. for patent infringement, alleging Orderdog is using electronic ordering processes in direct infringement of U.S. Patent No. 7,113,922, filed in 2001 and awarded in 2006. Lundberg Family Farms completed construction of its second solar array, which features solar panels atop 20,000 square feet of the companys warehouse to provide up to 10 percent of the companys total electrical needs. Mineral Resources International Inc. issued a cease and desist letter to Trace Minerals Research and ECOMAX Nutrition regarding, at minimum, the sale of products bearing such names as Trace Minerals Research®, ConcenTrace®, Arth-X, Stress-X, and Ion-Mag, as well as other such branded products in Canada. The Natural Products Association launched an interactive online job board, Career Center (http://careercenter.naturalproductsassoc.org/). Oak-Bark Corp., a toll manufacturer of custom fine chemicals, opened a new production facility to offer various pharmaceutical- and food-grade excipients, solids, powders, nutraceuticals and cosmetic materials. Toyota Tsusho America Inc. signed an exclusive supply and licensing agreement with Pharmavite LLC to provide its Pantesin® branded cholesterol-lowering ingredient for Pharmavites Nature Made® CholestOff® Complete and Nature Made® Genetic Cholesterol Reducer. The agreement grants Pharmavite an exclusive supply of Pantesin for use in dietary supplements marketed, sold and distributed by the company to merchandisers in the food, drug, mass and club store channels. Starwest Botanicals launched a revamped Web site (www.starwest-botanicals.com) with easier navigation and ordering options. Weatherchem launched a new Web site (www.weatherchem.com) with a new design, improved navigation, market expert section, enhanced product search and a Spanish language option. JLM Marketing launched a new Web site (www.jlmnutraingredients.com), including clinical data, application information and background on the active ingredients in Decursinol-50 and EstroG-100.