St. Jude Medical Files Patent Infringement Lawsuit

St. Jude Medical, Inc. announced that it has filed a lawsuit against Volcano Corporation for patent infringement. The global medical device company says that several products distributed by Volcano have infringed on patents. The lawsuit was filed in the United States District Court for the District of Delaware.

In the lawsuit, St. Jude alleges that Volcano products like PrimeWire pressure guide wire products infringe on key patents used for the St. Jude Medical PressureWire technology platform that the company acquired from Radi Medical Systems AB in December 2008.

“St. Jude Medical has made significant investments in the interventional cardiology space, including the coronary assessment and more recently the coronary imaging markets,” said Frank Callaghan, president of the St. Jude Medical Cardiovascular Division. “From clinical research to important product advancements, Radi Medical Systems and now St. Jude Medical have contributed considerably to the success of this marketplace. As a company that values the innovations we bring to the marketplace, we intend to protect our intellectual property.”

The patent lawsuit follows the acquisition of LightLab Imaging, Inc. by St. Jude Medical, which is also involved in its own litigation against Volcano.

It’s interesting to note that two former St. Jude executives serve on Volcano’s board, including former Chairman and CEO Ronald Matricaria and Michael Coyle, a former president of its Cardiac Rhythm Management division.

St. Jude’s suit seeks injunctive and monetary damages.

If you own a patent, it is important that you protect your intellectual property. If you think that someone else has violated your patented ideas, it is best to speak with a patent attorney to be apprised of your rights.