USPTO Rejects Butamax's Self-Described "Foundational" IP Claims in Successful Gevo Reexamination Petition

Gevo, Inc.

today announced that the United States Patent and Trademark Office has rejected all patent claims of Butamax™ Advanced Biofuels, LLC (Butamax) covering isobutanol-producing yeast in U.S. Patent No. 7,851,188 (‘188 patent) which is currently being asserted against Gevo. In doing so, the USPTO has now rejected all requested claims and correspondingly every critical claim in both patents asserted against Gevo by Butamax. In August, Gevo successfully petitioned the USPTO to reexamine Butamax's claims in U.S. Patent No. 7,993,889 (‘889 patent) covering a method of producing isobutanol using a recombinant yeast microorganism.