[5-Year Botox War] Medytox "Daewoong's False Claims Proven... Confident in Same Conclusion Domestically"

[Asia Economy Reporter Choi Dae-yeol] Medytox stated regarding the preliminary ruling by the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) that "Daewoong Pharmaceutical's claims have been proven to be clear falsehoods," and anticipated that it would be in a favorable position in ongoing lawsuits and criminal complaints in South Korea.

On the 6th (local time), the company issued a press release following the ITC's ruling that "Daewoong Pharmaceutical's botulinum toxin product Nabota is the result of unfair competition violating Section 337 of the Tariff Act and will be banned from importation for 10 years." Medytox has long claimed that Daewoong Pharmaceutical stole its bacterial strains and technology after announcing that it discovered botulinum strains in the soil of Yongin, Gyeonggi Province.

Medytox emphasized, "This ruling is significant as it objectively proves that Daewoong Pharmaceutical falsely informed regulatory authorities and customers worldwide for years about the origin of the strains and manufacturing process," adding, "Since preliminary rulings by the U.S. ITC confirming trade secret theft are rarely overturned, this ruling is virtually final."

The company expects that based on this ruling, it will be able to reveal Daewoong Pharmaceutical's theft allegations in ongoing civil lawsuits and criminal complaints filed with the Seoul District Prosecutors' Office. A Medytox official said, "Once relevant materials are submitted, we are confident that Korean courts and prosecutors will reach the same conclusion as the ITC ruling that 'Daewoong Pharmaceutical stole Medytox's trade secrets,'" and added, "We will promptly proceed with the ongoing lawsuits using the various evidence and expert reports submitted to the ITC."