Key Points
- HG Innovation Limited was granted the 6-methylnicotine salt invention patent by China’s National Intellectual Property Administration on August 4, 2026.
- The application was filed on July 10, 2024 and first published on September 20, 2024, with grant number CN118661881B.
- The technology combines 6-methylnicotine with alicyclic carboxylic acids having boiling points between 200°C and 265°C.
- The granted claims cover the salt formulation, oral products, atomization substrates and electronic atomization devices containing the formulation.
- Applicant testing examined oxidation stability, sensory properties, in-vitro cytotoxicity and compatibility with vaping heating components.
- International patent records identify HG Innovation Limited and 爱奇迹创造有限公司 as corresponding English and Chinese applicant names, while public company and brand records link HG Innovation to ELFBAR and the wider IMiracle business network.
2Firsts
September 4, 2026
According to public records from China’s National Intellectual Property Administration (CNIPA), HG Innovation Limited has been granted an invention patent covering 6-methylnicotine salt formulations and their use in oral products, atomization substrates and electronic atomization devices.
The patent, titled “6-Methylnicotine Salt Formulation and Preparation Method, Oral Product, Atomization Substrate and Electronic Atomization Device,” was filed on July 10, 2024, published as CN118661881A on September 20, 2024, and granted as CN118661881B on August 4, 2026.
Item | Details |
Patent holder | HG Innovation Limited |
Chinese name | 爱奇迹创造有限公司 |
Application No. | CN202410924062.5 |
Publication No. | CN118661881A |
Grant No. | CN118661881B |
Filing date | July 10, 2024 |
Publication date | September 20, 2024 |
Grant date | August 4, 2026 |
Developing a new salt system for 6-methylnicotine
The patent focuses on the salt chemistry of 6-methylnicotine rather than the molecule itself.
Its granted claims combine 6-methylnicotine with alicyclic carboxylic acids having boiling points between 200°C and 265°C, under reaction temperatures of 30°C-80°C.
Examples include cyclohexanecarboxylic acid, cyclohexaneacetic acid, 2-methylcyclohexanecarboxylic acid, 3,4-dimethylcyclohexanecarboxylic acid, cyclopentanecarboxylic acid and 1,3-cyclohexanedicarboxylic acid.
The filing lists the boiling point of 6-methylnicotine at about 256.6°C, compared with 232.5°C for cyclohexanecarboxylic acid, 242°C for cyclohexaneacetic acid and 258.1°C for 1,3-cyclohexanedicarboxylic acid.
The applicant argues that selecting acids with boiling points closer to that of 6-methylnicotine may improve compatibility during aerosolization.
The salts can also be prepared in non-aqueous systems containing glycerol or propylene glycol for incorporation into atomization substrates. One granted claim specifies a 6-methylnicotine salt formulation concentration of 1-10 mg/g in the atomization substrate.
Tests focus on stability, sensory properties and vaping compatibility
The patent identifies oxidation, off-odors, heating-coil corrosion and potential crystallization or blockage during aerosolization as development challenges.
HG Innovation prepared several alicyclic 6-methylnicotine salts and compared them with 6-methylnicotine benzoate, lactate and free 6-methylnicotine.
In a room-temperature storage test, the patent reported that the tested alicyclic carboxylate salts showed the slowest discoloration, followed by the lactate formulation, while the benzoate formulation changed color fastest. After three months, the alicyclic salts were described as dark yellow, the lactate as light brown and the benzoate as dark brown.
The applicant also conducted in-vitro cytotoxicity testing using human bronchial epithelial Beas-2B cells.
6-Methylnicotine salt | IC50 |
Cyclohexanecarboxylate | 994.7 μg/mL |
Cyclohexaneacetate | 1,100 μg/mL |
2-Methylcyclohexanecarboxylate | 955.8 μg/mL |
3,4-Dimethylcyclohexanecarboxylate | 952.5 μg/mL |
1,3-Cyclohexanedicarboxylate | 967 μg/mL |
Benzoate | 720.3 μg/mL |
The applicant interpreted the results as indicating lower in-vitro cytotoxicity for the tested alicyclic salts than for the 6-methylnicotine benzoate control.
These results were generated by the patent holder under laboratory conditions and do not establish comparative human health risk from inhaled or orally consumed 6-methylnicotine products.
Granted claims extend across vaping and oral formats
The patent is notable for extending beyond e-liquid formulations.
Its granted claims explicitly cover oral products containing the 6-methylnicotine salt formulation, alongside atomization substrates and electronic atomization devices. The description also cites confectionery and chewing gum as potential oral formats.
The applicant additionally conducted aerosol heavy-metal testing to compare different salt systems and presented reduced corrosion of heating elements as one intended advantage of the alicyclic carboxylic acid approach.
The patent therefore spans several aspects of 6-methylnicotine development, including salt chemistry, formulation stability, aerosol compatibility and applications across inhaled and oral formats.
Grant of the patent establishes intellectual-property protection in China. It does not constitute regulatory approval of 6-methylnicotine, confirmation of product safety or authorization for commercial sale.
HG Innovation is part of the wider IMiracle business network
International patent records identify HG Innovation Limited and 爱奇迹创造有限公司 as the corresponding English and Chinese applicant names, providing a clearer basis for identifying the patent holder in international coverage.
HG Innovation is directly linked to the broader IMiracle and ELFBAR business network. ELFBAR’s official German website identifies HG Innovation Limited with the ELFBAR business and describes it as the owner of major vaping brands including ELFBAR and LOST MARY. Public design-award records also list HG Innovation as the entrant and client for multiple ELFBAR projects.
Separately, Hong Kong intellectual-property records identify 爱奇迹（深圳）技术有限公司 as Imiracle (ShenZhen) Technology Co., Ltd., another corporate entity active in electronic-vaporization intellectual property.
The public record therefore points to HG Innovation and IMiracle as distinct corporate entities operating within the same ELFBAR-related business network. That connection gives the 6-methylnicotine patent added commercial significance, particularly because its claims span both vaping and oral product applications.
There is currently no public evidence that the patented formulation has been incorporated into ELFBAR, LOST MARY or other HG Innovation-related commercial products.
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