The verdict is out – a jury in Maryland ruled against Star Scientific in its lawsuit with Reynolds American Inc in a patent dispute over reducing cancer-causing elements in tobacco.

Chief patent counsel for RJ Reynolds, August Borschke, said in a statement: “We are pleased with the jury's decision, they saw what we have known all along, that Star's patents are invalid, and they should not have been issued in the first place."
Star Scientific issued a statement saying that they will file a motion with the US District Court for Judgment as a Matter of Law or a New Trial within the next 10 days. Should the motion not be granted, the company intends to appeal. 
Star Scientific shares plummeted by more than 80 percent in after-hours trading, while shares for RJ Reynolds gained 2.39 per cent. (pi)