IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,496,276
Granted Patent B2
US 12,496,276 · App. 17/170,998 · Granted Dec 16, 2025

Agents for oral composition

Inventors: Ronald K. Hutchens (East Bend, NC); Anthony Richard Gerardi (Winston-Salem, NC); Philip Richard Hunt (Malmo, SE); Christopher Keller (Advance, NC); Thomas H. Poole (Winston-Salem, NC)
Assignee: Nicoventures Trading Limited
A61K9/146A61K9/0056A61K9/4866A61K31/465A61K31/522
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,496,276
App. No.
17/170,998
Granted
Dec 16, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

The disclosure provides compositions and products configured for oral use. For example, a composition is provided that includes a foam containing a lipid and an active agent and/or a flavorant, and a carrier, wherein the foam is adsorbed onto the carrier. Such a foam can be incorporated, e.g., within lozenges and/or pouched oral products. The disclosure further provides an oral product (e.g., a lozenge and/or pouched oral product) including an encapsulated agent, wherein the encapsulated agent is a porous bead with an exterior portion and an interior portion containing a lipid and an active agent and/or a flavorant.

Claims (32)

1 . A composition, comprising:

a foam comprising a lipid, wherein the lipid comprises a food-grade oil, and a component selected from the group consisting of an active agent, a flavorant, and combinations thereof; and

a carrier,

wherein the foam is adsorbed onto the carrier, and

wherein the composition comprises substantially no tobacco material, other than nicotine where present.

2 . The composition of claim 1 , wherein the carrier is microcrystalline cellulose.

3 . The composition of claim 2 , wherein the microcrystalline cellulose is in particulate form.

4 . The composition of claim 1 , wherein the active agent is selected from the group consisting of a nicotine component, a botanical, a stimulant, a nutraceutical, an amino acid, a vitamin, a cannabinoid, a cannabimimetic, a terpene, and combinations thereof.

5 . The composition of claim 1 , wherein the active agent comprises nicotine.

6 . The composition of claim 1 , wherein the active agent comprises caffeine.

7 . An oral product comprising the composition of claim 1 .

8 . The oral product of claim 7 , in the form of a lozenge.

9 . The oral product of claim 7 , in the form of an oral product comprising a material within a porous pouch.

10 . The oral product of claim 9 , wherein the material within the porous pouch comprises the composition.

11 . An oral product comprising an encapsulated agent, wherein the encapsulated agent comprises:

a porous bead comprising an exterior portion and an interior portion comprising a lipid, wherein the lipid comprises a food-grade oil, and a component selected from the group consisting of an active agent, a flavorant, and combinations thereof,

wherein the exterior portion comprises starch alginate, and

wherein the oral product comprises substantially no tobacco material, other than nicotine where present.

12 . The oral product of claim 11 , wherein the active agent is selected from the group the active agent is selected from the group consisting of a nicotine component, a botanical, a stimulant, a nutraceutical, an amino acid, a vitamin, a cannabinoid, a cannabimimetic, a terpene, and combinations thereof.

13 . The oral product of claim 11 , wherein the active agent comprises nicotine.

14 . The oral product of claim 11 , wherein the active agent comprises caffeine.

15 . The oral product of claim 11 , in the form of a lozenge.

16 . The oral product of claim 11 , in the form of an oral pouched product comprising a material within a porous pouch.

17 . The oral product of claim 16 , wherein the material comprises the encapsulated agent.

18 . The oral product of claim 17 , wherein the porous pouch material comprises a fleece, and wherein the encapsulated agent is associated with the fleece.

19 . The oral product of claim 18 , wherein the encapsulated agent is imbedded in the fleece.

20 . The composition of claim 1 , wherein the food-grade oil is selected from the group consisting of a vegetable oil, an animal oil, or a mineral oil.

21 . The composition of claim 1 , wherein the food-grade oil is selected from palm oil, palm kernel oil, soybean oil, sunflower oil, cottonseed oil, coconut oil, and mixtures thereof.

22 . The oral product of claim 11 , wherein the food-grade oil is selected from the group consisting of a vegetable oil, an animal oil, or a mineral oil.

23 . The oral product of claim 11 , wherein the food-grade oil is selected from palm oil, palm kernel oil, soybean oil, sunflower oil, cottonseed oil, coconut oil, and mixtures thereof.

24 . The composition of claim 1 , wherein the component begins being released into a user's mouth about 1 minute or more after being placed in the user's mouth.

25 . The composition of claim 1 , wherein the component is released into a user's mouth over a period of time lasting about 1 minute or more.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 5, 2021
From: HUNT, PHILIP RICHARD; FIEDLER & LUNDGREN AB
To: NICOVENTURES TRADING LIMITED
Reel/Frame 057089/0484 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 5, 2021
From: HUTCHENS, RONALD K; GERARDI, ANTHONY RICHARD; KELLER, CHRISTOPHER; POOLE, THOMAS H.
To: NICOVENTURES TRADING LIMITED
Reel/Frame 057089/0604 →
Continuity (3)
Continuation PCTIB2020061546 · Dec 4, 2020
Provisional Application 62945640 · Dec 9, 2019
Related Publication 20210169806A1 · Jun 10, 2021
References Cited (184)
US 4374155A · Igoe et al. · 1983 [cited by applicant]
US 5417229A · Summers et al. · 1995 [cited by applicant]
US 5496573A · Tsuji et al. · 1996 [cited by applicant]
US 6138683A · Hersh et al. · 2000 [cited by applicant]
US 6845777B2 · Pera · 2005 [cited by applicant]
US 6958143B2 · Choi et al. · 2005 [cited by applicant]
US 7032601B2 · Atchley et al. · 2006 [cited by applicant]
US 7056541B1 · Stahl et al. · 2006 [cited by applicant]
US 7507427B2 · Andersen et al. · 2009 [cited by applicant]
US 7810507B2 · Dube et al. · 2010 [cited by applicant]
US 7833555B2 · Andersen et al. · 2010 [cited by applicant]
US 7861728B2 · Holton, Jr. et al. · 2011 [cited by applicant]
US 7900637B2 · Fagerstrom et al. · 2011 [cited by applicant]
US 7950399B2 · Winterson et al. · 2011 [cited by applicant]
US 8069861B2 · Sinclair · 2011 [cited by applicant]
US 8124147B2 · Cheng et al. · 2012 [cited by applicant]
US 8293295B2 · Andersen et al. · 2012 [cited by applicant]
US 8336557B2 · Kumar et al. · 2012 [cited by applicant]
US 8343532B2 · Dam et al. · 2013 [cited by applicant]
US 8424541B2 · Crawford et al. · 2013 [cited by applicant]
US 8469036B2 · Williams et al. · 2013 [cited by applicant]
US 8469037B2 · Liu et al. · 2013 [cited by applicant]
US 8529875B2 · Andersen · 2013 [cited by applicant]
US 8529914B2 · Fuisz et al. · 2013 [cited by applicant]
US 8545870B2 · Dupinay et al. · 2013 [cited by applicant]
US 8591967B2 · Andersen et al. · 2013 [cited by applicant]
US 8613285B2 · Fuisz · 2013 [cited by applicant]
US 8627828B2 · Strickland et al. · 2014 [cited by applicant]
US 8642016B2 · Chau et al. · 2014 [cited by applicant]
US 8714163B2 · Kumar et al. · 2014 [cited by applicant]
US 8741348B2 · Hansson et al. · 2014 [cited by applicant]
US 8747562B2 · Mishra et al. · 2014 [cited by applicant]
US 8828361B2 · Anderson · 2014 [cited by applicant]
US 8833378B2 · Axelsson et al. · 2014 [cited by applicant]
US 8846075B2 · Johnson et al. · 2014 [cited by applicant]
US 8858984B2 · Dam et al. · 2014 [cited by applicant]
US 8863755B2 · Zhuang et al. · 2014 [cited by applicant]
US 8871243B2 · Fankhauser et al. · 2014 [cited by applicant]
US 8931493B2 · Sebastian et al. · 2015 [cited by applicant]
US 8945593B2 · LoCoco et al. · 2015 [cited by applicant]
US 8978661B2 · Atchley et al. · 2015 [cited by applicant]
US 8992974B2 · McCarty · 2015 [cited by applicant]
US 9027567B2 · Gee et al. · 2015 [cited by applicant]
US 9039839B2 · Beeson et al. · 2015 [cited by applicant]
US 9044035B2 · Jackson et al. · 2015 [cited by applicant]
US 9084439B2 · Holton, Jr. · 2015 [cited by applicant]
US 9155321B2 · Cantrell et al. · 2015 [cited by applicant]
US 9161567B2 · Shikata et al. · 2015 [cited by applicant]
US 9161908B2 · Nilsson · 2015 [cited by applicant]
US 9167835B2 · Sengupta et al. · 2015 [cited by applicant]
US 9185931B2 · Gao et al. · 2015 [cited by applicant]
US 9204667B2 · Cantrell et al. · 2015 [cited by applicant]
US 9237768B2 · Carroll et al. · 2016 [cited by applicant]
US 9358296B2 · McCarty · 2016 [cited by applicant]
US 9372033B2 · Lampe et al. · 2016 [cited by applicant]
US 9386800B2 · Sebastian et al. · 2016 [cited by applicant]
US 9402414B2 · Griscik et al. · 2016 [cited by applicant]
US 9402809B2 · Axelsson et al. · 2016 [cited by applicant]
US 9414624B2 · Carroll et al. · 2016 [cited by applicant]
US 9420825B2 · Beeson et al. · 2016 [cited by applicant]
US 9468233B2 · Macko et al. · 2016 [cited by applicant]
US 9474303B2 · Holton, Jr. · 2016 [cited by applicant]
US 9521864B2 · Gao et al. · 2016 [cited by applicant]
US 9565867B2 · Wittorff et al. · 2017 [cited by applicant]
US 9629392B2 · Holton, Jr. · 2017 [cited by applicant]
US 9675102B2 · Hunt et al. · 2017 [cited by applicant]
US 9763928B2 · Duggins et al. · 2017 [cited by applicant]
US 9775376B2 · Cantrell et al. · 2017 [cited by applicant]
US 9801409B1 · Smith · 2017 [cited by applicant]
US 9848634B2 · Fuisz · 2017 [cited by applicant]
US 9854830B2 · Gao et al. · 2018 [cited by applicant]
US 9884015B2 · Gao et al. · 2018 [cited by applicant]
US 9907748B2 · Borschke et al. · 2018 [cited by applicant]
US 9925145B2 · Hubinette et al. · 2018 [cited by applicant]
US 9930909B2 · Gao et al. · 2018 [cited by applicant]
US 9999243B2 · Gao et al. · 2018 [cited by applicant]
US 10039309B2 · Carroll et al. · 2018 [cited by applicant]
US 10045976B2 · Fusco et al. · 2018 [cited by applicant]
US 10092715B2 · Axelsson et al. · 2018 [cited by applicant]
US 10130120B2 · Mishra et al. · 2018 [cited by applicant]
US 10143230B2 · Mishra et al. · 2018 [cited by applicant]
US 10149850B2 · Mishra et al. · 2018 [cited by applicant]
US 10172810B2 · McCarty · 2019 [cited by applicant]
US 10244786B2 · Gao et al. · 2019 [cited by applicant]
US 10334873B2 · Mishra et al. · 2019 [cited by applicant]
US 10357054B2 · Marshall et al. · 2019 [cited by applicant]
US 10375984B2 · Hernandez Garcia et al. · 2019 [cited by applicant]
US 10426726B2 · Neergaard · 2019 [cited by applicant]
US 10463070B2 · Carroll et al. · 2019 [cited by applicant]
US 10532046B2 · Rogers et al. · 2020 [cited by applicant]
US 10543205B2 · Wittorff et al. · 2020 [cited by applicant]
US 20040118422A1 · Lundin et al. · 2004 [cited by applicant]
US 20040131752A1 · Best et al. · 2004 [cited by applicant]
US 20050118272A1 · Besse et al. · 2005 [cited by applicant]
US 20050255768A1 · Iwasaki et al. · 2005 [cited by applicant]
US 20060272663A1 · Dube et al. · 2006 [cited by applicant]
US 20070031539A1 · Calton · 2007 [cited by applicant]
US 20070122526A1 · Sweeney et al. · 2007 [cited by applicant]
US 20080081071A1 · Sanghvi et al. · 2008 [cited by applicant]
US 20080112989A1 · Wieland et al. · 2008 [cited by applicant]
US 20080166395A1 · Roush · 2008 [cited by applicant]
US 20080317911A1 · Schleef et al. · 2008 [cited by applicant]
US 20090023819A1 · Axelsson · 2009 [cited by applicant]
US 20090065013A1 · Essen et al. · 2009 [cited by applicant]
US 20090133703A1 · Strickland · 2009 [cited by examiner]
US 20090253754A1 · Selmin et al. · 2009 [cited by applicant]
US 20090293895A1 · Axelsson · 2009 [cited by examiner]
US 20090301504A1 · Worthen et al. · 2009 [cited by applicant]
US 20100004294A1 · Axelsson et al. · 2010 [cited by applicant]
US 20100061940A1 · Axelsson et al. · 2010 [cited by applicant]
US 20100187143A1 · Essen et al. · 2010 [cited by applicant]
US 20100260690A1 · Kristensen et al. · 2010 [cited by applicant]
US 20100294290A1 · Zhang · 2010 [cited by applicant]
US 20100294292A1 · Hodin et al. · 2010 [cited by applicant]
US 20100330247A1 · Montaigne et al. · 2010 [cited by applicant]
US 20110139164A1 · Mua et al. · 2011 [cited by applicant]
US 20110220130A1 · Mua et al. · 2011 [cited by applicant]
US 20110268809A1 · Brinkley et al. · 2011 [cited by applicant]
US 20120031415A1 · Essen et al. · 2012 [cited by applicant]
US 20120037175A1 · Cantrell et al. · 2012 [cited by applicant]
US 20120039981A1 · Pedersen et al. · 2012 [cited by applicant]
US 20120103353A1 · Sebastian et al. · 2012 [cited by applicant]
US 20130078307A1 · Holton, Jr. et al. · 2013 [cited by applicant]
US 20130118512A1 · Jackson et al. · 2013 [cited by applicant]
US 20130152953A1 · Mua · 2013 [cited by examiner]
US 20130177646A1 · Hugerth et al. · 2013 [cited by applicant]
US 20130206150A1 · Duggins et al. · 2013 [cited by applicant]
US 20130251779A1 · Svandal et al. · 2013 [cited by applicant]
US 20130340773A1 · Sebastian et al. · 2013 [cited by applicant]
US 20140123986A1 · Strickland et al. · 2014 [cited by applicant]
US 20140130813A1 · Strehle · 2014 [cited by applicant]
US 20140154301A1 · Chau et al. · 2014 [cited by applicant]
US 20140178580A1 · Whiffen · 2014 [cited by applicant]
US 20140255452A1 · Reddick et al. · 2014 [cited by applicant]
US 20140274940A1 · Mishra et al. · 2014 [cited by applicant]
US 20150068544A1 · Moldoveanu et al. · 2015 [cited by applicant]
US 20150068545A1 · Moldoveanu et al. · 2015 [cited by applicant]
US 20150071972A1 · Holton, Jr. et al. · 2015 [cited by applicant]
US 20150096573A1 · Gao et al. · 2015 [cited by applicant]
US 20150096574A1 · Gao et al. · 2015 [cited by applicant]
US 20150096576A1 · Gao et al. · 2015 [cited by applicant]
US 20150296868A1 · Sutton · 2015 [cited by applicant]
US 20150296874A1 · Awty et al. · 2015 [cited by applicant]
US 20160000140A1 · Sebastian et al. · 2016 [cited by applicant]
US 20160073676A1 · Cantrell et al. · 2016 [cited by applicant]
US 20160073689A1 · Sebastian et al. · 2016 [cited by applicant]
US 20160157515A1 · Chapman et al. · 2016 [cited by applicant]
US 20160192703A1 · Sebastian et al. · 2016 [cited by applicant]
US 20170007594A1 · Borschke · 2017 [cited by applicant]
US 20170164651A1 · Mua et al. · 2017 [cited by applicant]
US 20170165252A1 · Mua et al. · 2017 [cited by applicant]
US 20170172995A1 · Repaka et al. · 2017 [cited by applicant]
US 20170280764A1 · Sahlen et al. · 2017 [cited by applicant]
US 20170312261A1 · Changoer et al. · 2017 [cited by applicant]
US 20170318858A1 · Hodin et al. · 2017 [cited by applicant]
US 20180140007A1 · Aspgren et al. · 2018 [cited by applicant]
US 20180140521A1 · Geonnotti et al. · 2018 [cited by applicant]
US 20180140554A1 · Wittorff · 2018 [cited by applicant]
US 20180153211A1 · Persson · 2018 [cited by applicant]
US 20180235273A1 · Carroll et al. · 2018 [cited by applicant]
US 20180255826A1 · Persson et al. · 2018 [cited by applicant]
US 20180257801A1 · Persson · 2018 [cited by applicant]
US 20190037909A1 · Greenbaum et al. · 2019 [cited by applicant]
US 20190255035A1 · Bruun · 2019 [cited by applicant]
US 20200037638A1 · Faraci et al. · 2020 [cited by applicant]
US 20200128870A1 · Hassler et al. · 2020 [cited by applicant]
US 20200138706A1 · Rudraraju et al. · 2020 [cited by applicant]
US 20200275689A1 · Lewerenz · 2020 [cited by applicant]
US 20200297026A1 · Kannisto et al. · 2020 [cited by applicant]
US 20200305496A1 · Gessesse · 2020 [cited by applicant]
AU 20120207021 · 2012 [cited by applicant]
CN 103005680 · 2013 [cited by applicant]
CN 103263507 · 2013 [cited by applicant]
CN 103494324 · 2014 [cited by applicant]
CN 105192876 · 2015 [cited by applicant]
CN 105595404 · 2016 [cited by applicant]
WO WO2006119660 · 2006 [cited by applicant]
WO WO2018129097 · 2018 [cited by applicant]
WO WO2018224546 · 2018 [cited by applicant]
WO WO2019036243 · 2019 [cited by applicant]
Belscak-Cvitanovic (Food Chemistry, 167, pp. 378-386). (Year: 2015). [cited by examiner]
Robichaud Meagan et al., “Tobacco companies introduce ‘tobacco free’ nicotine pouches”, [cited by applicant]
Constant Comments: Cindi Bigelow, Alice Truong, 2008, Northwestern Magazine, Winter 2008 (Year: 2008) https://www.northwestern.edu/magazine/winter2008/alumninews/close-ups/bigelow.html. [cited by applicant]
Siegmund et al., “Determination of the Nicotine Content of Various Edible Nightshades ( [cited by applicant]