Carestream sues Caliper over in vivo imaging patent

Multispectral/multimodal time lapse imaging. Image source: Carestream Health

Carestream Health has filed a lawsuit against Caliper Life Sciences alleging infringement of a patent covering multimodal in vivo imaging.

In the suit, which was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Wisconsin, Madison Division, Carestream alleged that Caliper’s IVIS Lumina XR system infringes Carestream’s U.S. Patent 7,734,325 titled, “Apparatus and Method for Multi-Modal Imaging.”

This patent was filed in September 2004 and granted on June 8.

The patent relates to an imaging system where one or more immobilized small animals can be imaged in several imaging modes without moving the animal, according to Carestream. A movable phosphor screen allows users to image the test animal using multiple modalities with a single imager: x-ray and radioisotopic with the screen—fluorescence and luminescence—all without moving the test animal. This technology enables the generation of a single, precise image comprising images from up to four modalities.

Carestream claimed that Caliper’s IVIS Lumina XR system, which was introduced in 2009, employs the technology claimed in its patent. Carestream said it is asking the court to preliminarily enjoin Caliper from continuing to market and sell its IVIS Lumina XR systems during the pendency of this lawsuit and, subsequently, to permanently enjoin such sales.