CryoCor Patent Fight Goes to Trade commision

The U.S. International Trade Commission will evaluate a request by CryoCor to bar imports of catheters and other medical equipment made by a Canadian rival.
CryoCo requested the ITC last month to investigate CryoCath Technologies and decide whether the company is infringing patents that CryoCor licensed from AMS Research Corp. AMS, which is based in Minnetonka, Minn., joined CryoCor in the request.
The patents at issue are for catheters, consoles and other equipment used to treat cardiac arrhythmias, or irregular heartbeats, the ITC said Thursday.
The ITC, an independent federal agency, investigates unfair trade practices and has the authority to bar imports that infringe U.S. patents and trademarks.
In a lawsuit filed in January, CryoCor said patents for its Cryoablation system, which is used to treat irregular heartbeats, were infringed by CryoCath's products. Cryotherapy generally involves the use of freezing temperature to treat diseased tissue. CryoCor said in that suit that it is the exclusive licensee for the patents and is seeking monetary damages and sales injunctions against CryoCath. CryoCath filed its own patent infringement suit against CryoCor in October. The company said last month that CryoCor and AMS Research illegally extended "at least one patent beyond it scope."(Source: Viney)