BOERNE, Texas, Oct. 9 /PRNewswire/ -- Stanbio Laboratory, L.P., a leader in medical testing and diagnostic devices, today announced that the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) has initially rejected all seven claims of HemoCue's microcuvette patent review (U.S. Patent No. 5,674,457).
In its initial findings, the USPTO panel reviewed HemoCue's patent claims and found that each claim of HemoCue's patent was invalid. The microcuvette is a blood collecting and testing device used with Stanbio's HemoPoint(R) H2 Photometer.
"This is a tremendous victory for our side regarding our rights to sell our HemoPoint(R) H2 hemoglobin testing system," said William Pippin, chief executive officer of Stanbio Laboratory. "We believe the panel's finding fully supports our case that HemoCue's '457 patent is invalid."
On April 6, 2006 Stanbio Laboratory filed a cross-complaint alleging that HemoCue, Inc., engaged in unfair business practices against Stanbio.
According to Stanbio's cross-complaint, HemoCue was telling customers and potential customers that Stanbio was legally barred from selling its hemoglobin meters and microcuvettes.
"There has been a great deal of misinformation circulated about patents once we introduced our HemoPoint(R) H2 hemoglobin testing system. We believe the USPTO finding definitively supports our long-standing belief that HemoCue's claims have no basis," said Pippin. "Stanbio has world-class products and we will continue to offer them globally."
According to Pippin this legal battle is a true case of David vs. Goliath. He suggests that HemoCue is using its much greater size to try to keep HemoCue's customers from being free to choose Stanbio products.
Founded in 1960 and headquartered in Boerne, Texas, Stanbio manufactures and sells medical testing and diagnostic devices including clinical chemistry, pregnancy, drugs of abuse, serology, urinalysis, microbiology assays, and point-of-care blood hemoglobin tests. Stanbio's HemoPoint(R) H2 hemoglobin system is widely used in hospitals, physician office laboratories, blood banks, and WIC clinics throughout the United States as a screening test for anemia. Stanbio also offers OEM and private labeling capabilities. Currently, Stanbio distributes products in over 70 countries worldwide. This year the company celebrates its 46th year in business. To find out more about Stanbio, review its news, or learn more about its products, visit http://www.stanbio.com.
Stanbio Laboratory, L.PCONTACT: Amy Goldsmith of GK Communications, +1-310-440-0646,agoldsmith@gkcommunications.net, for Stanbio Laboratory
Web site: http://www.stanbio.com/
