R.J. Reynolds (RJR) has settled an e-cigarette maker's claims that RJR's Vuse line copied its technology, four days before a trial was set to begin, according to a Thursday filing in North Carolina federal court, reports Reuters.

US District Judge Catherine Eagles found in May that RJR's products infringed parts of two Fuma patents. A jury in Greensboro was set to consider on 15 November whether RJR infringed additional parts of one of the patents, whether the patents were valid, and what damages RJR owed, among other things, the report said.
Fuma sued RJR in 2019 for infringing patents related to an e-cigarette design with a cartridge and power source. The lawsuit said RJR copied Medina, Ohio-based Fuma's design after meeting with Fuma about its e-cigarette technology in 2010. Fuma sought up to USD 135 million in damages, according to court filings.
RJR launched Vuse Solo in 2013 and Vuse Ciro in 2017. The FDA granted RJR permission to market Solo in October – the first-ever authorisation for a vaping product.
RJR argued the relevant parts of the patents were invalid based on prior art that disclosed the same design. Details of the settlement weren't immediately available, Reuters reported.
RJR argued that the relevant parts of the patents were invalid because they were based on prior art disclosing the same design. Details of the settlement were not immediately available, Reuters reported.