Danisco loses bid to delay animal feed patent trial

Food additive maker Danisco A/S has lost a bid to delay a UK trial in a patent battle with industrial enzyme producer Novozymes A/S over a type of enzyme that aids the digestion of animal feed, according to reports.
Novozymes is claiming that Danisco has sold a product infringing on one of its animal feed patents since 2007, and wants to defend that patent in Denmark, Germany, Finland and the Netherlands. Danisco sought to hold the case until the European Patent Office ruled on the dispute. This was Danisco's second application to push back the trial. The EPO revoked Novozymes' patent in July 2011, a decision which was appealed by the company and will be heard by the EPO later in 2012.