Philip Morris International Inc. and partner Altria Group Inc. will be barred from importing the IQOS heated-tobacco sticks into the U.S. after they lost a legal battle with British American Tobacco Plc before a U.S. trade agency. Philip Morris pledged to challenge what it called a “puzzling” decision.
Philip Morris and Altria infringe two patents owned by BAT’s subsidiary Reynolds American Inc., the U.S. International Trade Commission said in a notice posted on the agency’s website. The import ban -- and an order to stop selling any products already imported -- will take effect in 60 days unless it’s overturned by the Biden administration on public policy grounds, though that rarely happens.
