Brooks sues Puma in running-shoe patent dispute

Sept 24 (Reuters) - Berkshire Hathaway's (BRKa.N) Brooks Sports sued German shoemaker Puma (PUMG.DE) in Virginia federal court on Tuesday in the latest salvo in an ongoing intellectual property dispute between the rivals.

Brooks said in its lawsuit that Puma had threatened to sue it for infringing a patent covering a type of ridged shoe sole, and asked the court to determine that its Glycerin running shoes do not violate Puma's rights.

Puma said in a statement that it is "committed to protecting and defending our intellectual property rights" and "look[s] forward to presenting our case." Seattle-based Brooks said in a statement that Puma's accusations are "the latest in a series of groundless allegations Puma has made against Brooks."

Puma first sued Brooks in 2022, arguing that Brooks' advertising for sneakers with nitrogen-infused soles violated its "Nitro" trademark rights. That case is still ongoing.

Puma also filed a separate patent lawsuit against Brooks in June over its Hyperion running shoes.

Brooks said in its complaint on Tuesday that Puma's "wrongful" allegations over its Glycerin 21 shoes "caused and will continue to cause Brooks irreparable injury and damage."

The case is Brooks Sports Inc v. Puma SE, U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia, No. 3:24-cv-00668.