Medtronic, Boston Scientific could fork over $600M in Cordis Palmaz patent case

U.S. Delaware District Court Judge Sue Robinson Monday granted Cordis’ motion for final judgment against Boston Scientific and Medtronic, in their cases involving the original Palmaz balloon expandable stent patent.

The case relates to GFX and Microstent II from the Minneapolis-based Medtronic and the NIR stent from the Natick, Mass.-based Boston Scientific.

The Miami Lakes, Fla.-based Cordis, a Johnson & Johnson company, had asked U.S. District Court Judge Sue Robinson to reinstate the verdicts that Cordis won in 2000, plus accrued interest.

In those cases, Cordis won $324 million against Boston Scientific and $271 million against Medtronic, before interest. Following appeals, both cases were retried in March 2005, with Cordis winning again.

In January 2007, a federal circuit court in Washington, D.C., upheld the jury verdicts. At that time, Cordis said it would ask the Delaware judge to reinstate damages. Robinson said that she would issue her final decision on Sept. 30.

Boston Scientific reported that it no longer sells the NIR stent, and plans to appeal Robinson’s current decision.

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