Mannatech Adds Distinguished Kellogg Professor Robert Blattberg to Board

Here's something for the Mannatech skeptics. Why would such a famous man agree to join the board if it were not a great company, with great products and a great future? Maybe he knows something you don't? You think?

Mannatech announced the addition of Professor Robert Blattberg from Northwestern University's Kellogg School of Management to the company's Board of Directors. Blattberg replaces outgoing Board member Professor John Axford who is leaving the Board to focus his efforts on new research initiatives with Mannatech, as well as complete the glyconutritional research under a three-year agreement between St. George's University of London and Mannatech.

Since 1991, Professor Blattberg has served as the Polk Brothers Distinguished Professor of Retailing and Director for the Center for Retail Management within Northwestern University's Kellogg School of Management. He is currently on a one-year leave of absence and is a visiting professor at Carnegie Mellon University. Previously, he held the title of the Charles H. Kellstadt Professor of Marketing and served as Director of the Center of Marketing Information Technology for University of Chicago's Graduate School of Business.

"We are quite pleased to have someone with Professor Blattberg's knowledge and expertise in global retail marketing join our Board," said J. Stanley Fredrick, lead director on Mannatech's Board. "His vast experience and published accomplishments speak volumes about his ability to assist organizations in achieving success through solid marketing strategies and principles."

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Federal Court Issues Markman Ruling in Favor of Mannatech's Ambrotose® Patents

(Business Wire) Mannatech, Incorporated announced today that the federal court in the Northern District of Texas issued a Markman ruling in the company’s favor against Glycobiotics International Inc., in a patent infringement lawsuit based on Mannatech’s Ambrotose® and Advanced Ambrotose® products

After considering the plain language of the patents, patent prosecution history and briefing and evidence presented by the parties, the Court issued a Markman ruling effectively shutting down Glycobiotics’ interpretation. The Court’s ruling allows Mannatech to continue to pursue its patent infringement claims against Glycobiotics International Inc., with a trial setting expected for late fall.

Mannatech is currently pursuing two patent infringement lawsuits against Glycobiotics International Inc., and K.Y.C. Inc., d/b/a Techmedica Health Inc. The lawsuits, which are still pending, are in response to several competitors using Mannatech’s technology to create and offer copycat products.

“We are encouraged by this ruling that validates our cutting-edge research and development in the ground-breaking field of glyconutrients,” said Terry Persinger, president and CEO of Mannatech. “Our domestic and international patents on our formulations for glyconutritional dietary supplements, Ambrotose® and Advanced Ambrotose®, are a result of years of research and development and we plan to continue protecting these patents against infringement. We believe this favorable ruling should govern future disputes concerning the scope and meaning of these specific patents.”

Glycobiotics challenged Mannatech’s patents by attempting to convince the Court that Mannatech’s patents only cover compositions of highly-purified, pharmaceutical-grade individual saccharides. Mannatech vigorously opposed this narrow construction, asserting that the patents’ language and history make it clear that the patented compositions cover all-natural dietary supplements and are not limited to formulas of individual, pharmaceutical-grade ingredients.