US-BASED Vystar has received its third US and first Chinese patents for its Vytex natural rubber latex (NRL). The US patent expands the claims beyond just reducing proteins and recognises that the process also reduces the level of non-rubber components in Vytex.
The Chinese patent not only validates the US patent but also extends intellectual property right protection for the product.
The company says that since China is one of the leading producers of NRL products, the protection of the process is important for its growth. Its aim is to add on product differentiation to the US$4.6 billion NRL global market.
The company now has a total of five issued patents in the US and abroad, with more than a dozen pending.
Meanwhile, Vytex also qualifies as the first and only commercially available material for a new latex category with a maximum 0.5% non-rubber content approved in 2010 by ASTM.(PRA)