The International Trade Commission has launched an investigation in the first of two Juul Labs Inc.’s suits seeking to exclude dozens of global competitors from marketing e-cigarettes in the United States.

Backed by Sterne, Kessler, Goldstein & Fox, Juul charges 21 companies with infringing its cartridge-based system for delivering nicotine vapor. Now, In the Matter of Certain Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems and Components Thereof, the ITC has ordered investigation into whether five different patents were infringed.