P&G Sues J&J for Patent Infringement on Tooth-Whitening Strips

CINCINNATI, May. 02 /PRNewswire/ --

CINCINNATI, May 2 /PRNewswire/ -- The Procter & Gamble Company has filed a lawsuit against Johnson & Johnson and McNeil-PPC, Inc., the manufacturer and distributor of Listerine Whitening(R) Quick Dissolving Strips, for patent infringement. These Listerine strips are sold throughout the U.S.

The suit, filed today in the United States District Court for the Western District of Wisconsin, alleges that the Listerine Whitening(R) Quick Dissolving Strips infringe key P&G patents related to the tooth whitening active ingredient and delivery systems.

In 2000, P&G introduced Crest Whitestrips(R) creating a new product segment. Crest Whitestrips(R) has since become an important part of P&G's overall oral care product portfolio

"P&G invests heavily in R&D to provide consumers with leading products. This technology and its intellectual property are important assets of the Company," said Steve Jemison, P&G chief legal officer. "We must protect our intellectual property."

The lawsuit seeks to stop Johnson & Johnson and McNeil-PPC, Inc. from making, selling, and importing any products that infringe P&G's patents on tooth-whitening products. It also seeks recovery of damages.

About Procter & Gamble

Three billion times a day, P&G brands touch the lives of people around the world. The company has one of the strongest portfolios of trusted, quality, leadership brands, including Pampers(R), Tide(R), Ariel(R), Always(R), Whisper(R), Pantene(R), Mach3(R), Bounty(R), Dawn(R), Gain(R), Pringles(R), Folgers(R), Charmin(R), Downy(R), Lenor(R), Iams(R), Crest(R), Oral-B(R), Actonel(R), Duracell(R), Olay(R), Head & Shoulders(R), Wella, Gillette(R), and Braun. The P&G community consists of 138,000 employees working in over 80 countries worldwide. Please visit http://www.pg.com for the latest news and in-depth information about P&G and its brands.

P&G Media Contact:

Crystal W. Harrell -- P&G Oral Care External Relations -- (513) 622-2880