Q: Niagin owns the patent to NR, but yet there are still other companies selling the raw material. Is this patent infring?
A:
I am not going to give you an opinion on Niagen booster supplement containing naturally nicotinamide riboside (NR), because I do not know all the facts, but here are a few comments.
Generally, naturally occurring compounds are not patentable. Anyone can make, use, or sell such compounds.
A diet supplement that contains a mixture of various compounds, including naturally occurring compounds, may be patentable.
If you need me to take a look at this issue at more depth, please feel free to reach out to me. Most of my work is on patents of chemical compositions comprising known components, so this is my specialty.
Kathryn Perales agrees with this answer
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