Dust settles on Bos Sci, Medtronic interventional litigations

Boston Scientific and Medtronic have settled two lawsuits and signed an agreement to stand down in three others, which will stop all current litigation between the two companies in the fields of interventional cardiology and endovascular repair. 

All the disputes involved intellectual property. Also, the companies noted that the stand-down agreements are time limited and involve only Medtronic and Boston Scientific, as they are still both involved in a stent patent dispute with Johnson & Johnson (J&J).

While the terms of the settlement remain confidential, Boston Scientific said the agreements will not have a material impact on its financial results. 

The lawsuits are:

• Medtronic Vascular et al v. Boston Scientific et al, pending in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas (Settled);
• Boston Scientific et al v. Medtronic et al, pending in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas (Settled);
• Medtronic Vascular et al. v. Boston Scientific et al. and Abbott Laboratories, et al., pending in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas;
• Medtronic Vascular et al v. Abbott Cardiovascular Systems et al, pending in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California; and
• Boston Scientific et al v. Medtronic et al, pending in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California.

Both the Natick, Mass.-based Boston Scientific and the Minneapolis-based Medtronic are currently still battling against J&J in a separate stent patent case, in which the companies were ordered to pay J&J about $1.2 billion.