ST. PETERSBURG, Fla., March 17 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Smith & Nephew Inc.'s Advanced Wound Management division announced that the German Federal Patent Court in Munich has held the Wake Forest patent for negative pressure (NPWT) licensed to Kinetic Concepts, Inc. invalid in Germany.
“Having cleared this legal hurdle in Germany ensures our ability to provide patients with the optimal care and clinicians with choice when utilizing NPWT,” said Robin Carlstein, Senior Vice President of Advanced Wound Devices at Smith & Nephew. “Smith & Nephew takes intellectual property rights seriously and considers such issues carefully before any new product launches. We are extremely pleased with the German Federal Court’s decision.”
Smith & Nephew and KCI have been engaged in litigation in the US in connection with KCI’s NPWT patents. As part of the U.S. legal process, three of KCI’s U.S. patents relating to NPWT stand rejected as unpatentable by the U.S. Patent Office.
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About Smith & Nephew
Smith & Nephew is a global medical technology business, specializing in Orthopeadics, including Reconstruction, Trauma and Clinical Therapies, Endoscopy and Advanced Wound Management. Smith & Nephew is a global leader in arthroscopy and advanced wound management and is one of the leading global orthopeadics companies.
Smith & Nephew is dedicated to helping improve people’s lives. The Company prides itself on the strength of its relationships with its surgeons and professional healthcare customers, with whom its name is synonymous with high standards of performance, innovation and trust. The Company operates in 32 countries around the world. Annual sales in 2008 were nearly $3.8 billion.
Forward-Looking Statements
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CONTACT: Investors, Liz Hewitt, Group Director Corporate Affairs of Smith
& Nephew, +44 (0)20 7401 7646, or Other Inquiries, Robin Carlstein, Senior
Vice President of Smith & Nephew Advanced Wound Management, +1-727-399-3746
Web site: http://www.smith-nephew.com/