Top Device Companies

Smith & Nephew Loses At Home In Patent Case Brought By KCI Of U.S.

Smith & Nephew lost a patent case in its home court when the U.K. High Court of Justice ruled in favor of U.S.-based Kinetic Concepts. The court said Smith & Nephew’s Renasys EZ and Go wound-therapy devices infringed on KCI patents in the United Kingdom. The two companies have been waging the same battle in several other countries, including the United States. Smith & Nephew is expected to be enjoined soon from selling the two products in its home country. (Click here for more)

“KCI Wins U.K. Patent Dispute Against Smith & Nephew” – San Antonio Business Journal (6/23/10)

Medical device manufacturers facing many challenges: from the rising clout of group purchasing organizations (GPOs) to payment bundling and physicians' growing allegiance with hospitals in product price negotiations. Get all the answers now in new Medtech Insight's new 24-page Special Report: Medical Device Landscape: How regulatory changes and cost control measures are reshaping the industry. Available for purchase now!

Alcon, Advanced Medical Optics, Kinetic Defy Device-Sales Downturn

Alcon, Advanced Medical Optics and Kinetic Concepts are among a few medical-device makers that have bucked the trend in their industry and fared well under the recent economic downturn. Alcon, which makes eye-surgery devices and drugs, did well enough to attract a 25 percent investment by Novartis of Switzerland. Advanced Medical, which makes eye-correction systems, drew attention from Abbott Laboratories, which bought the company. Kinetic Concepts has moved into a similar position, according to a key Wall Street analyst. (Click here for more – a subscription may be required)

“Best On The Street Stock Analysts: Medical Equipment” – Wall Street Journal (5/25/10)

Medical device manufacturers facing many challenges: from the rising clout of group purchasing organizations (GPOs) to payment bundling and physicians' growing allegiance with hospitals in product price negotiations. Get all the answers now in new Medtech Insight's new 24-page Special Report: Medical Device Landscape: How regulatory changes and cost control measures are reshaping the industry. Available for purchase now!

Smith & Nephew Patent Dispute With KCI Sent To Jury For Decision

Smith & Nephew’s patent dispute with Kinetic Concepts was sent to the jury to consider a verdict. Kinetic Concepts contended in a federal trial in San Antonio that Smith & Nephew’s wound products infringe onKCI patents for its Vacuum Assisted Closure system to treat wounds. KCI sought $5.4 million from S&N, contending that’s how much it lost in profits for the past year. KCI licensed the patent from Wake Forest University and the two of them sued Bluesky Medical, now owned by S&N. (Click here for more)

“Kinetic Seeks Ruling Smith & Nephew Infringes Patents” – BusinessWeek (2/24/10)

Medical device manufacturers facing many challenges: from the rising clout of group purchasing organizations (GPOs) to payment bundling and physicians' growing allegiance with hospitals in product price negotiations. Get all the answers now in new Medtech Insight's new 24-page Special Report: Medical Device Landscape: How regulatory changes and cost control measures are reshaping the industry. Available for purchase now!

 

 

 

 

KCI Sees Added H1N1 Diagnostic Demands In Fear Of New Outbreak

Kinetic Concepts says a national concern about a new wave of the H1N1 flu virus is leading to increased demands by medical professionals for its diagnostics. The diagnostic of interest is KCI’s technology to detect acute respiratory distress syndrome, which affects 22 million Americans, according to CDC data. The H1N1 outbreak in the United States is on the wane, but health authorities warn of another potential wave of the disease. KCI attributes a large rise in requests for its diagnostic to that added concern. (Click here for more)

“Docs Using KCI Device To Fight H1N1 Effects” – San Antonio Business Journal (12/25/09)

JUST PUBLISHED: Medical Device Market 2009: Interventional Cardiology - Find out who’s going beyond catheters and drug-eluting stents in this vibrant space with this 86-page Special Report previously published in IN VIVO: The Business & Medicine Report. Order yours now!

Medtronic Move To Have Class-Action Suit Dismissed Enrages Judge

Medtronic was excoriated by a federal judge presiding over a lawsuit involving defective pacemaker batteries. The district court judge in Minnesota accused the company of making arguments in its defense that amounted to “sophistry” and a denial of reality. The Kinetic Co. sued Medtronic after the pacemaker company reported batteries in its implantable devices could lose their charge in a matter of days or months, far shorter than the years claimed. The suit resulted from Medtronic keeping the problem a secret and refusing to issue a recall. The judge’s outburst was made in response to Medtronic’s motion to dismiss the class-action suit. (Click here for more)

“Federal Judge Lays Into Medtronic In Pacemaker Case” – Mass Device (12/9/09)

JUST PUBLISHED: Medical Device Market 2009: Interventional Cardiology - Find out who’s going beyond catheters and drug-eluting stents in this vibrant space with this 86-page Special Report previously published in IN VIVO: The Business & Medicine Report. Order yours now!

Smith & Nephew Patent Suit Against KCI Rejected By Supreme Court

A Smith & Nephew subsidiary lost a patent suit when the U.S. Supreme Court rejected an appeal of its challenge to patents held Kinetic Concepts. KCI has been battling several patent cases involving its vacuum-assisted wound-closing devices, which it sells in about 20 countries. The high court’s refusal to hear the case closes the twin suits brought by Medela of Switzerland and Blue and Sky Medical Group, owned by the United Kingdom’s Smith & Nephew. (Click here for more)

“Local Firm KCI Wins As Justices Decline Case” – San Antonio Business (11/17/09)

JUST PUBLISHED: Medical Device Market 2009: Interventional Cardiology - Find out who’s going beyond catheters and drug-eluting stents in this vibrant space with this 86-page Special Report previously published in IN VIVO: The Business & Medicine Report. Order yours now!

Kinetic Concepts Expects Japan Approval For Major Wound-Closures

Kinetic Concepts said it expects to receive Japanese approval to market its vacuum-assisted wound-closure devices as early as October. The devices are part of KCI’s leading negative-pressure wound-care product lines. The line produced $1.4 billion for Kinetic last year, about 70 percent of the firm’s overall revenue. (Click here for more)

“KCI Foresees OK To Sell In Japan” – San Antonio Express-News (9/8/09)

Medical Device Manufacturers’ Employee Training Programs Are Under FDA Scrutiny -- Click Here To Find Out Why...

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Smith & Nephew Suits Challenge KCI Leadership In Device Sector

The win by Smith & Nephew in a court case against Kinetic Concepts threatens to topple the Texas-based company from the leadership of the wound-care device industry. U.K.-based Smith & Nephew could, as a result of the U.K. court ruling that revoked KCI’s patents there, pull ahead as the British company begins launching competing products there. Similarly, Smith & Nephew could make deep inroads in that sector in Germany, where it won an earlier ruling against KCI, with expectations of similar suits in other countries.(Click here for more)

“KCI In Peril Of Losing ‘Monopoly’” – My San Antonio (7/23/09)

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Smith & Nephew Wins U.K. Court Battle With KCI Over Wound Patent

Smith & Nephew won a British appellate court case brought by Kinetic Concepts over an alleged Smith & Nephew violation of KCI’s patent for its negative-pressure wound therapy. The court denied KCI’s assertion that Smith & Nephew’s wound-care kit infringed on the patent owned Wake Forest University, which licensed its therapy device to KCI. The Court of Appeal of England and Wales said the university’s patent was not valid and removed a lower-court injunction against Smith & Nephew. A KCI executive noted the ruling applied only in the United Kingdom and not in the United States or other countries.(Click here for more)

“KCI Loses Patent Fight Against Smith & Nephew On Appeal” – San Antonio Business Journal (7/14/09)

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Vnus Buy Latest Big Win for 2004 Device IPO Class

Article preview from Start-Up - May 2009

The medical device industry broke the IPO ice in 2004, sending 17 companies onto the US public markets. How have they fared?