AGA Medical Wins Occluder Patent Validity Case Against Occlutech

October 8, 2009 – A five-judge panel in the German Federal Patent Court in Munich upheld the validity of an AGA Medical Holdings’ patent for its AMPLATZER occlusion devices and the manufacturing process.

The court rejected a lawsuit brought by Occlutech GmbH that contended that AGA Medical's patent did not meet the standards of patentability under German law. While the ruling is open to appeal, it is effective now.

AGA Medical develops of interventional devices for the minimally invasive treatment of cardiovascular defects and peripheral vascular disease. In December 2008, a German appeals court ruled in favor of AGA Medical in a patent infringement proceeding against Occlutech GmbH, headquartered in Jena, Germany. Although Occlutech has filed a request to appeal the infringement decision, the decision and the injunction against Occlutech remain in force. AGA Medical has now prevailed against Occlutech in two different branches of German courts and won cases with respect to both patent validity and infringement.

For more information: www.amplatzer.com