HemaSure Inc. and COBE BCT initiate patent lawsuit with - Pall Corporation

Report this content

HemaSure Inc. and COBE BCT initiate patent lawsuit with Pall Corporation Stockholm, Sweden - Gambro AB (Stockholm Stock Exchange: GAMBaST, GAMBbST), a leading international medical technology and healthcare company, today announced that its subsidiary COBE BCT, Inc. and HemaSure, Inc. have filed a lawsuit in Federal Court in Denver to obtain formal confirmation from the Court that the r\LS leukoreduction filter produced by HemaSure and to be distributed by COBE BCT does not infringe any patents owned by Pall Corporation. Pall has recently served a complaint on COBE and HemaSure for a subsequent retaliatory lawsuit filed in the Eastern District of New York. In its complaint Pall alleges infringement by COBE and HemaSure of one of the patents involved in the Denver lawsuit. The r\LS filter improves blood transfusion safety by removing unwanted white blood cells from transfused red blood cells. The r\LS filter has been developed specifically to provide blood centers with a superior red blood cell product, by filtering the red cells before they are stored in the blood bank. COBE BCT's testing has shown that white blood cells are effectively removed from red blood cells when the red blood cells are filtered with the HemaSure product used with the COBE Trima Automated Blood Collection system, which was authorized for sale by the US Food and Drug Administration last year. The COBE Trima Automated Blood Collection System is an advanced blood component collection system used by blood banks to collect individual blood components, such as platelets, plasma and red blood cells, from donors, which are then used to provide critical medical treatment. As a result of the testing, COBE BCT and HemaSure entered into an agreement last year whereby COBE BCT has exclusive distribution rights for products pro- duced by HemaSure, including the r/LS filter outside the United States and China. The product, which will be sold as the COBE r\LS filter, is beginning its introduction process. However, Pall has sought to prevent COBE from using the HemaSure filters because of alleged infringement of certain Pall patents. COBE and HemaSure have asked the court to formally confirm there is no infringement. COBE BCT, Inc., based in Lakewood, Colorado, is a leading manufacturer of devices used by blood banks and hospitals for the collection and separation of blood components and in numerous therapies involving the collection, separa- tion and processing of blood components. HemaSure, Inc., of Marlborough, Massachusetts, is an emerging company focused on the development of blood filters for use by blood banks and hospitals. For further information please contact: Edward C. Wood, President, COBE BCT Inc., tel. +1-303-232 6800 Bengt Modéer, Senior Vice President, Corporate Communications, tel. +46-8-613 65 00, +46-70-513 65 33 Anna Augustson, European Investor Relations Manager, tel. +46-8-613 65 35, +46-70-513 65 34 Gambro is a global medical technology and healthcare company with leading positions in renal care - services and products - and blood component technology (BCT). Gambro is the second largest provider of kidney dialysis services in the world. Gambro treats about 40,500 patients in 554 clinics worldwide. Renal care products comprise dialyzers, dialysis machines, blood lines and dialysis fluid. BCT includes products for the separation and handling of blood components. The group, with revenue of approximately SEK 19 billion (USD 2.3 billion) has approximately 18,000 employees in some 40 countries. ------------------------------------------------------------ Please visit http://www.bit.se for further information The following files are available for download: http://www.bit.se/bitonline/1999/05/04/19990504BIT00110/bit0002.pdf http://www.bit.se/bitonline/1999/05/04/19990504BIT00110/bit0001.doc