Smith & Nephew Given Right to Appeal in Patent Litigation in the United Kingdom - Sales of RENASYS Product Range in UK Continue

^{Published on 2010-07-30 03:40:36 - Market Wire}
 

Smith & Nephew Given Right to Appeal in Patent Litigation in the United... -- HULL, England, July 30 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ --

HULL, England, July 30 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- The Advanced Wound Management division of Smith & Nephew, Inc., a subsidiary of Smith & Nephew plc. (LSE: SN; NYSE: [ SNN ]) notes the finding of the Patents Court of the High Court of Justice of England and Wales in the patent litigation brought by Kinetic Concepts, Inc. (NYSE: KCI). In that case, the Court found that parts of the Smith & Nephew RENASYS™ EZ and RENASYS GO Negative Pressure Wound Therapy (NPWT) Systems have infringed the patents EP0853950 and EP0777504 in the United Kingdom.  Today the Court has given Smith & Nephew the right to Appeal this decision.  Our full range of RENASYS products remains on the market.

"We are delighted that the Appeal Court will review the decision and that we are still able to supply our full range of RENASYS Negative Pressure products on the UK market," said Robin Carlstein, Senior Vice President of Advanced Wound Devices at Smith & Nephew.  "We are proud of the fact that we are bringing our customers and patients real choice in this important therapy area."

Smith & Nephew entered the NPWT market in the United Kingdom in 2007 to provide patients and clinicians with a choice.  Last year, the Court of Appeal of England and Wales ruled in favour of Smith & Nephew on patent EP0626720 and allowed it to supply the RENASYS system with Foam as well as Gauze to patients and clinicians in the United Kingdom. This decision enabled  the company to continue its aim of tailoring NPWT to meet the unique needs of each patient based on the specific requirements of their wounds. 

The RENASYS System enables clinicians to tailor NPWT to meet their patients' unique needs and the specific requirements of their wounds, with clear improvements in patient comfort, ease of use, and cost-effectiveness.

For more information about Smith & Nephew, please visit [ www.smith-nephew.com ].

About Smith & Nephew

Smith & Nephew is a global medical technology business with global leadership positions in Orthopaedics; including Reconstruction, Trauma and Clinical Therapies; Sports Medicine; and Advanced Wound Management.

Smith & Nephew is dedicated to helping improve people's lives. The Company prides itself on the strength of its relationships with its surgeons and professional healthcare customers, with whom its name is synonymous with high standards of performance, innovation and trust.  The Company operates in 32 countries around the world.  Annual sales in 2009 were nearly $3.8 billion.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains certain "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the US Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995.  In particular, statements regarding expected revenue growth and trading margins discussed under "Outlook" are forward-looking statements as are discussions of our product pipeline.  These statements, as well as the phrases "aim", "plan", "intend", "anticipate", "well-placed", "believe", "estimate", "expect", "target", "consider" and similar expressions, are generally intended to identify forward-looking statements.  Such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other important factors (including, but not limited to, the outcome of litigation, claims and regulatory approvals) that could cause the actual results, performance or achievements of Smith & Nephew, or industry results, to differ materially from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements.  Please refer to the documents that Smith & Nephew has filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission under the U.S. Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, including Smith & Nephew's most recent annual report on Form 20F, for a discussion of certain of these factors.

All forward-looking statements in this press release are based on information available to Smith & Nephew as of the date hereof.  All written or oral forward-looking statements attributable to Smith & Nephew or any person acting on behalf of Smith & Nephew are expressly qualified in their entirety by the foregoing.  Smith & Nephew does not undertake any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statement contained herein to reflect any change in Smith & Nephew's expectation with regard thereto or any change in events, conditions or circumstances on which any such statement is based.

<> Trademark of Smith & Nephew.  Certain marks registered US Patent and Trademark Office.

SOURCE Smith & Nephew

RELATED LINKS
[ http://www.smith-nephew.com ]