The US Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit has decided in favor of Fenwal on a patent lawsuit brought by Haemonetics against Fenwal and Baxter Healthcare, in 2005. The decision vacates the January 2009 US District Court for Massachusetts verdict against Fenwal as well as the related damages award and injunction.
In its decision, the US Court of Appeals agreed with Fenwal and reversed the lower court’s definition of ‘centrifugal unit,’ a central issue in the case. The appeals court remanded the case to the district court for further proceedings consistent with the appellate court’s decision.
Dean Gregory, senior vice president of commercial operations at Fenwal, said: “This decision brings us meaningfully closer to putting this litigation behind us and assuring blood centers of continued supply of Alyx kits. Our priority from the beginning has been to make sure we support our customers in ensuring a safe and available blood supply as we defend ourselves against unwarranted claims. I want to thank the many blood centers who stood by us in so many ways as we have worked through the legal process.”
Illinois-based Fenwal is a global medical technology company focused on improving blood collection, filtration, separation, storage and transfusion to ensure the availability, safety and effectiveness of blood components.