Supreme Court Declines Appeal in Coke Zero Sweetener Patent Case, Affecting Chemical and Food Industries

In a recent development on April 28, 2025, the U.S. Supreme Court decided not to take up a Texas chemical company’s appeal concerning a patent dispute over an artificial sweetener used in Coke Zero. This decision leaves intact the ruling from the Federal Circuit, which invalidated claims related to the patent. The core issue in the case was whether the covert use of the sweetener production process could negate its eligibility for patent protection. This outcome has significant implications for the chemical and food industries, particularly regarding the protection of proprietary manufacturing processes. For more information, you can find further details in the Law360 article.