Medical technology company Kinetic Concepts Inc. (KCI) said Monday that the Federal Court of Australia issued a temporary injunction prohibiting Smith & Nephew (SNN, SN.L) from selling foam dressing kits for negative pressure wound therapy in Australia until the court issues further ruling.
According to San Antonio, Texas-based Kinetic, the patent at dispute is exclusively licensed to the company from Wake Forest University Health Sciences. Negative pressure wound therapy is a technique in wound closure where vacuum is used to reduce pressure around the wound, drawing out excess fluids and cellular wastes.
In its grant of injunction, the court has allowed Smith & Nephew to provide trial samples in limited circumstances during the interim.
Kinetic noted that Smith & Nephew is already banned by a UK court from selling the foam dressing kits, while courts in the U.S. and Germany are also considering to grant of an injunction.
Kinetic Concepts expects to set a trial date on the infringement and validity of the patent in the Australian courts for 2010.
KCI is currently trading at $25.04, down 59 cents or 2.30%. SNN is currently trading at $37.80, down 92 cents or 2.38%, while SN.L is currently trading at 462.00 pence, down 4.25 pence.
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