P&G sues Ranir over tooth-whitening strips

Cincinnati-based The Proctor & Gamble Co. said yesterday that it has filed a patent infringement complaint and motion for preliminary injunction in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Ohio against Grand Rapids, Mich.-based Ranir, a private label manufacturer of oral care products.

The complaint alleges that Ranir is infringing on P&G’s patented tooth-whitening technology by manufacturing and selling store brand tooth-whitening strip products to retailers.

“Consistent with previous cases of Crest Whitestrips intellectual property violation, P&G will take steps necessary to protect its intellectual property,” P&G stated in a press release. “Just last year, the Court permanently enjoined another store brand manufacturer from manufacturing, offering, selling or distributing products that infringe [on] P&G’s patents or its crest Whitestrips trade dress or trademarks.”

In July 2016, Ranir acquired the Rembrandt tooth-whitening brand from Johnson & Johnson. Ranir currently manufactures several tooth-whitening products for private label, including Whitening Wraps, Whitening Kits and Dissolving Strips, according to the company’s website.

A spokesman for Ranir stated that the company “does not comment on pending litigation.”