A federal jury in California has found that Axonics’ neurostimulators and electric leads for treating incontinence do not run afoul of three patents held by the company’s main rival, Medtronic.
The case has been one of several intellectual property disputes between the medtech giant and Axonics—a former Fierce Medtech Fierce 15 winner that is currently waiting to become a subsidiary of Boston Scientific after a $3.7 billion acquisition deal was penned near the top of this year.
Medtronic first brought its lawsuit against Axonics to the Central California district court in late 2019 though the trial had been paused as the two companies danced over the validity of the patents themselves.
Earlier this year, the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office’s Patent Trial and Appeal Board ruled partially in Medtronic’s favor—upholding some claims, while invalidating others—within two of its patents related to the implantation of electrodes for stimulating the body’s sacral nerve, to help support urinary and bowel control.
At the time, Medtronic said the findings cleared the way for the California trial to continue, and that it was looking forward to presenting its case in front of a jury.
This week, that jury ruled unanimously for Axonics, on claims related to three separate patents—including the two reviewed by the PTAB, plus a third on safely recharging an implanted medical device through the skin.
“A jury of our peers recognized that Axonics’ proprietary tined lead design and temperature sensor technology is differentiated from our competitor’s intellectual property,” Axonics CEO Raymond Cohen said in a statement.
“As we have said since this case was first filed in late 2019, our view is that Medtronic’s lawsuit was initiated to stifle competition, limit patient and physician choice, and protect the incumbent’s monopoly in sacral neuromodulation,” Cohen said. “We are very pleased with the jury’s finding and continue to remain focused on fulfilling our mission of positively impacting the lives of adults with bladder and bowel dysfunction.”
In response, through a statement to Fierce Medtech, Medtronic said it “respectfully disagrees with the jury’s verdict and will file post-trial motions, and an appeal, if necessary, to overturn this verdict.”
The company also said it will continue with its pending case against Axonics at the International Trade Commission, following its filing of a complaint in February.
There, Medtronic has requested that the U.S. government agency step in to stop Axonics from selling its implants, over patents related to the devices’ compatibility with MRI machines. The company has also filed a parallel suit in Delaware federal court.
Regarding Axonics’ still-unconcluded acquisition deal with Boston Scientific, the closure of that transaction was pushed to later this year after the Federal Trade Commission in April requested more information in their antitrust review of the purchase. Earlier this week, Boston Scientific secured its ownership of Silk Road Medical and its carotid artery revascularization devices, for about $1.18 billion.