Xyrex Ltd had claimed that ST500 was an unlawful copy of Prawnfresh and infringed on the company’s intellectual property and therefore JAS were not permitted to sell the product.
In terms of an agreed resolution of this action, JAS has agreed that they were not entitled to sell the product ST500 and will cease selling it, and have delivered to Xyrex Ltd all ST500 product held by them.
In addition agreed damages and costs were paid to Xyrex Ltd, with the final payment being made on 23 December 2013.
Xyrex Ltd says it will continue to explore all avenues to protect its intellectual property rights should similar unlawful imitations of Prawnfresh come onto the market.
Gerry McGuire, director of Xyrex, said: “We are determined that the integrity of Prawnfresh brand and its high standing and reputation in the marketplace is not put in jeopardy. We urge the prawn industry to remain vigilant over any other similar unregulated imitations that may still come onto the market.”
Prawnfresh is an approved treatment to prevent the onset of melanosis (blackening of the shell) in harvested prawns.