Tishcon, the US manufacturer of nutritional supplements, has filed two lawsuits claiming that its competitors have infringed its trademarks.
Tishcon, which produces Q-Gel Coenzyme Q-10 soft gelatin capsules, the Staywell line of nutritional supplements and other vitamins and nutritional products, has taken legal action against rival manufacturer Nature's Way Products and marketing group Shaklee Corporation seeking damages of $30 million.
The lawsuit claims that Nature's Way acted illegally by its "improper and intentional use" of Tishcon's federally registered Staywell trademark on a line of its vitamins and nutritional supplements after being made aware of the prior existing registration for Staywell by the United States Patent and Trademark Office.
In Shaklee's case, Tishcon is claiming that the company made "false and misleading descriptions and representations of fact including the admitted false claim that its product was covered by a patent". It also claims that Shaklee made misleading representations when comparing its own product to Tishcon's Q-Gel brand.
The complaint also states claims for false patent marking, a violation of the US Patent laws. Shaklee Corporation has already admitted that it has committed this violation, Tishcon said.