Natural Alternatives International (NAI) has filed a lawsuit in the US District Court for the District of Delaware, accusing Vital Pharmaceutical (VPX) and DNP International of infringing patents exclusively licensed to NAI relating to its CarnoSyn beta-alanine.
Reportedly, NAI has also asserted claims for unfair competition and false marking against one or both of the companies in the lawsuit.
CarnoSyn is a proprietary, patented form of beta-alanine. Beta-alanine is a naturally occurring beta amino acid produced in muscle tissue as a component of carnosine.
The company said that a controlled studies have demonstrated that carnosine is a highly effective buffer to slow the acidic buildup in exercise stressed muscle, which otherwise could lead to shortened workouts and non-optimal competitive performance. Carnosine synthesis in the body is limited by the availability of beta-alanine.
The company has also stated that as confirmed in multiple studies, orally delivered CarnoSyn beta-alanine increases muscle tissue levels of carnosine, to provide cellular buffering for significant performance and recovery improvement.