HCMC COMMENTS ON PTAB PETITION FOR INTER PARTES REVIEW (IPR) FILED BY PHILIP MORRIS

HOLLYWOOD, FL, June 16, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Healthier Choices Management Corp. (OTC Pink: HCMC) (“HCMC or the “Company”) announced that Philip Morris Products S.A. (“Philip Morris”) filed a petition with the Patent Trial and Appeal Board (the “PTAB”) of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office seeking to institute inter partes review (“IPR”) proceedings to invalidate Healthier Choices Management Corp.’s (the “Company”) U.S. Patent No. 10,561,170 (the “Patent”).

If Philip Morris’ IPR petition is accepted by the PTAB, the Company will have three months to optionally file a preliminary response. Within three months of the Company’s preliminary response or six months from acceptance of Philip Morris’ IPR petition, the PTAB will decide whether to institute or deny the IPR proceedings. If the PTAB institutes IPR proceedings, then within one year of institution the PTAB will issue a final written decision as to the validity of some or all of the claims in the Patent.

The Company previously filed a patent infringement lawsuit against Philip Morris USA, Inc. and Philip Morris Products S.A. in connection with their product known and marketed as “IQOS.” The lawsuit was brought based on IQOS’ infringement on the Patent. The lawsuit was filed in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Georgia and is ongoing.

Jeff Holman, HCMC’s Chief Executive Officer, stated, “HCMC is currently reviewing Philip Morris’ IPR petitions and intends to vigorously oppose the institution of the IPR proceedings and, if the IPR proceedings are instituted, we are now fully prepared to vigorously defend the validity of the Patent.”

About Healthier Choices Management Corp. 

Healthier Choices Management Corp. (www.healthiercmc.com) is a holding company focused on providing consumers with healthier daily choices with respect to nutrition and other lifestyle alternatives. Through its wholly owned subsidiary HCMC Intellectual Property Holdings, LLC, the Company manages and intends to expand on its intellectual property portfolio. The Company currently operates eight retail vape stores in the Southeast region of the United States, through which it offers e-liquids, vaporizers and related products. The Company also operates Ada’s Natural Market, a natural and organic grocery store, through its wholly owned subsidiary Healthy Choice Markets, Inc. and Paradise Health and Nutrition, stores that offer fresh produce, bulk foods, vitamins and supplements, packaged groceries, meat and seafood, deli, baked goods, dairy products, frozen foods, health & beauty products and natural household items through its wholly owned subsidiary Healthy Choice Markets 2, LLC. The Company also sells vitamins and supplements on its website TheVitaminStore.com. The Company markets its Q-Cup technology under the vape segment. This patented technology is based on a small, quartz cup called the Q-Cup, which a customer can purchase already filled by a third party in some regions, or can partially fill themselves with either cannabis or CBD concentrate (approximately 50mg), also purchased from a third party. The Q-Cup can then be inserted into the patented Q-Unit, which heats the cup from the outside without coming in direct contact with the solid concentrate. This Q-Cup and Q-Unit technology provides significantly more efficiency and an “on the go” solution for consumers who prefer to vape concentrates either medicinally or recreationally. The Q-Cup can also be used in other devices as a convenient micro-dosing system. These products are available on the Company’s website at www.TheQcup.com.