Cook sues Edwards Lifesciences

Cook Inc, the manufacturing division of Cook Medical, has announced that it is suing Edwards Lifesciences over an alleged patent infringement.

The company is asking for a cease and desist order and damages in relation to a heart valve product recently launched by Edwards Lifesciences in Germany.

Cook claims that the Sapien THV heart valve launched by Edwards Lifesciences is a direct infringement of German Patent DE 60128069T2 owned by Cook.

It is calling on the court to issue an order that prevents the firm from manufacturing, selling, importing or exporting the device, addition to accounting for all commercial activities of the product and making a judgement with regard to damages.

Pete Yonkman, general counsel for Cook, said: “We are confident that the court will uphold our patented technology upon examining the evidence presented in our complaint.”

He added that the company has explicitly shown that the Sapien THV device from Edwards is covered by its patent, one of a large portfolio related to its development programme for percutaneous valves.

Edwards Lifesciences said that it had not seen a copy of the lawsuit and otherwise declined to comment on these reports, Orange County Business Journal Online said.

In June 2007, Cook Medical announced the promotion of Barry Thomas from global leader of aortic intervention to vice-president of the division, with additional responsibilities for aiding the company’s business units in the Asian and Japanese markets.