Medtronic wins US appeal to overturn $106.5 mln heart-valve patent verdict
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit determined, opens new tab that a California judge should have ruled before the trial that Minneapolis-based Medtronic's devices did not violate Colibri's patent rights.
Medtronic said in a statement that the decision "affirms our longstanding position that Colibri's patent infringement claims lacked merit." Spokespeople and an attorney for Colibri did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Colorado-based Colibri alleged in a 2020 lawsuit that Medtronic's Evolut devices for replacing heart valves in heart disease patients infringed a Colibri patent related to deploying artificial heart valves.
The patent relates to Colibri's competing heart valve implant system. Colibri said in the lawsuit that company officials shared information about its patented technology with Medtronic in 2014, before Medtronic introduced its Evolut system.
A jury found in 2023 that Medtronic's devices infringed Colibri's patent. A three-judge Federal Circuit panel overturned the verdict on Friday, agreeing with Medtronic that the district court judge should have ruled for the company before the case went to a jury trial.
The case is Colibri Heart Valve LLC v. Medtronic CoreValve LLC, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, No. 23-2153.
For Colibri: Jeffrey Lamken of MoloLamken
For Medtronic: Greg Castanias of Jones Day
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Medtronic hit with $106.5 mln U.S. verdict in heart-valve patent case
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