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Medical equipment industry

Boston Scientific Sued Over Alleged Patent Infringement

Strategic Insights

— 1 min read

Boston Scientific Corp. is being sued by a Florida doctor and inventor who alleges that the company's artery-repair device, the Enovus AAA stent-graft, infringes on his patents. The device, which uses a stent-graft combination to repair abdominal aortic aneurysms, is still being tested in the United States but is expected to be sold in Europe by the end of the year.

The lawsuit, filed in a federal district court in Texas, alleges that Boston Scientific developed the Enovus based on technology obtained improperly from the plaintiff, Dr. Shaun Samuels. Samuels claims that he confided in another doctor about his invention in 1997, and that doctor leaked the details to a new company called TriVascular, which developed the Enovus. Boston Scientific began investing in TriVascular in 2003 and later acquired the company for $65 million last April.

Key Takeaways:

  • Dr. Shaun Samuels, a Miami radiologist, is suing Boston Scientific Corp. for allegedly infringing on his patents with the Enovus AAA stent-graft.
  • The device uses a stent-graft combination to repair abdominal aortic aneurysms, which are dangerous bulges in the body's largest artery.
  • Boston Scientific developed the Enovus based on technology obtained improperly from Samuels, according to the lawsuit.
  • Samuels confided in another doctor about his invention in 1997, and that doctor leaked the details to TriVascular, which developed the Enovus.
  • Boston Scientific acquired TriVascular for $65 million last April and is expected to start selling the Enovus in Europe by the end of the year.
  • The lawsuit alleges that Boston Scientific has been responsible for any and all activity with respect to the Enovus AAA stent-graft since January 2003.
  • Samuels is seeking to prevent Boston Scientific from selling the Enovus and is asking for triple damages.

Statistics:

  • $65 million: The amount Boston Scientific spent to acquire TriVascular last April.
  • 2003: The year Boston Scientific began investing in TriVascular.
  • January 2003: The month Boston Scientific allegedly became aware that the Enovus was based on technology obtained improperly.
  • 1997: The year Samuels confided in another doctor about his invention.

Sources:

  • Boston Globe, "Boston Scientific sued over patent allegations"
  • Boston Globe, "More on the patent dispute between Boston Scientific and Israel-based Accel-MedTech"
  • Boston Globe, "The Boston Globe is published by The New York Times Company and is headquartered in Boston, MA."

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