Synthes Wins Patent Case Vs. Medtronic, Court Doubles Damages to $21M

Synthes Inc. has won a patent infringement lawsuit against Medtronic Inc. regarding the ProDisc-L artificial disc replacement device, doubling damages to $21 million.

The U.S. District Court in Memphis, Tenn., according to the Switzerland-based firm, has ruled that Medtronic may not infringe on the patent covering Synthes’ ProDisc-L artificial disc replacement device. The court also doubled Synthes’ actual damages (for the period until the end of 2008), with the total award exceeding $21 million in damages, interest and costs.

“We are pleased that the court has upheld the jury’s verdict,” said Michel Orsinger, president and CEO of Synthes. “Synthes has made substantial investments toward the ProDisc artificial disc replacement devices, and the rulings by the court confirm our intellectual property rights in that technology,” he added.

In 2007, Synthes filed suit against Minneapolis, Minn.-based Medtronic, asserting that its Maverick products infringed the patent. In November 2008, a jury had reached a verdict that Medtronic willfully infringed the patent by its manufacture and sale of the Maverick product lines. On Aug. 19, the court denied Medtronic’s motion for a new trial. Medtronic is appealing these rulings to the U.S. Court of Appeals.

ProDisc-L is a total disc replacement device used to replace diseased vertebral discs in the lumbar spine. It was approved in 2006 by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for commercial sale in the United States.

Medtronic was not immediately available for comment.