District Court Rules in Favor of P&G on Patent Infringement Case Relating to Crest Whitestrips®

In a series of rulings this summer, culminating with a ruling issued on September 15th, 2014, the federal District Court for the Southern District of Ohio ruled that Clio USA’s tooth whitening strip products infringe several P&G patents related to P&G’s Crest Whitestrips® products. The Court also rejected Clio’s arguments that the patents are invalid.

With significant investment, P&G revolutionized the process of at-home whitening with the introduction of Crest Whitestrips® in 2001. Since then, P&G has continued to invest in patented advancements on this award-winning, innovative product. Formulated with the same enamel-safe whitening ingredient dentists use, P&G’s teeth whitening systems can remove 14 years of set-in stains below the enamel surface at a fraction of the cost of in-office treatments.

Due to the success of Crest Whitestrips® in the market, many companies have attempted to copy the patented technology. Each time, P&G has successfully enforced its patents with an out-of-court settlement. Although P&G generally prefers to resolve intellectual property disputes amicably and without litigation, some infringers are unwilling to accept the strength of P&G’s patents without a court decision. In this case, Clio refused to stop selling the infringing products and insisted that the matter be litigated. The Court’s rulings confirm the strength of P&G’s tooth whitening patents and P&G’s belief that Clio’s products unlawfully infringe the patents.

“Consumers win when P&G and other companies introduce truly new-to-the-world innovations that deliver breakthrough benefits,” said Deborah P. Majoras, P&G’s Chief Legal Officer. “The US Patent System was put into place to drive the innovative spirit through legal protection of the inventor’s investment, including the quality assurance and safety support that consumers demand and deserve.” She added, “Companies that want to compete legitimately with our Crest Whitestrips® would not copy our patented technology. But if they do, we will exert our rights as the law allows.”

About Procter & Gamble

P&G serves nearly five billion people around the world with its brands. The Company has one of the strongest portfolios of trusted, quality, leadership brands, including Always®, Ambi Pur®, Ariel®, Bounty®, Charmin®, Crest®, Dawn®, Downy®, Duracell®, Fairy®, Febreze®, Gain®, Gillette®, Head & Shoulders®, Lenor®, Olay®, Oral-B®, Pampers®, Pantene®, SK-II®, Tide®, Vicks®, Wella® and Whisper®. The P&G community includes operations in approximately 70 countries worldwide. Please visit http://www.pg.com for the latest news and in-depth information about P&G and its brands.