Edwards Lifesciences Corporation of Irvine, CA, has won a federal patent case against Medtronic, Inc., of Minneapolis, MN. A jury has found that the that Medtronic CoreValve LLC willfully infringed Edwards' U.S. Andersen transcatheter heart valve patent. The jury has awarded Edwards $74 million in damages. The case involved a valve prosthesis to be implanted by catheter.

Edwards says it intends to seek a permanent injunction. "This ruling affirms the strength of our Andersen family of patents, as well as our leadership in transcatheter valve intellectual property," said Larry L. Wood, Edwards' corporate vice president, transcatheter valve replacement, in a statement. "Protection of our intellectual property allows us to aggressively innovate this technology that is so important for patients suffering from severe aortic stenosis. We're actively working with the FDA to bring this therapy to U.S. patients."

On the Medtronic side, the company has announced it will appeal the verdict, and says the verdict has "no bearing on Medtronic's ability to sell Core Valve products internationally or to conduct clinical trials in the United States," but concerns an Andersen patent "currently scheduled to expire before CoreValve products are expected to be approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. "Medtronic says it will also oppose efforts to seek an injunction.

"Medtronic is disappointed that the jury in this case reached a different conclusion than courts in England and Germany, where the CoreValve product was found not to infringe related European Andersen patents owned by Edwards," said Scott Ward, senior vice president of Medtronic and president of the CardioVascular business, in a statement. "We will file appropriate motions and appeals to challenge the jury verdict."

Adapted in part from Edwards and Medtronic press releases.

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