Boston Scientific and OrbusNeich settle patent cases

Medical device makers Boston Scientific and OrbusNeich announced on September 17 that they have settled all stent-related patent litigations.

Stents are small mesh tubes that are inserted into the arteries in the treatment of coronary heart disease.

The agreement brings an end to the parties’ cases in Germany, the Netherlands, Ireland, the UK and the US. Two of the US actions, brought by OrbusNeich in 2009, concerned patents 7,329,277 and 6,821,292.

Under terms of the agreement, Boston Scientific will make a one-off payment to OrbusNeich to settle all stent-related disputes. The agreement does not include future financial obligations.

A spokesperson for OrbusNeich told WIPR: “OrbusNeich has granted to Boston a nonexclusive, irrevocable, worldwide, fully paid up license, without the right to sublicense to the OrbusNeich patents in suit ... each of the companies have given a covenant not to sue the other for patent infringement relating to any current or future products relating to the patents in suit.”

Boston Scientific said it could not disclose any further details about the settlement.