The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit has refused to reconsider a $95 million judgment against R.J. Reynolds Vapor Co., upholding a landmark decision that found the company’s Vuse Alto e-cigarettes infringed on patents owned by Altria Client Services LLC.
In a succinct order issued Monday, the Federal Circuit judges denied R.J. Reynolds’ petition for both a panel and an en banc review, leaving the massive damages award intact. The ruling effectively cements Altria’s victory in a fierce legal battle over proprietary e-cigarette technology.
Altria Secures Major Win in Patent War
Altria, the parent company of Philip Morris, originally won the case in 2022 when a North Carolina federal jury ruled that R.J. Reynolds’ Vuse Alto devices unlawfully incorporated three patented technologies. Altria, despite not selling its own e-cigarette under these patents, argued that its innovations enhanced existing vaping products, solving issues like leakage and inefficiency.
Though R.J. Reynolds sought to slash the $95 million penalty—contending that damages should not exceed $3.6 million—the appellate court upheld the original judgment, dealing a devastating blow to the tobacco giant’s defense.
