A Medical Device Daily

Intuitive Surgical (Sunnyvale, California), a leader in surgical robotics, issued a statement regarding a patent infringement lawsuit filed recently by the California Institute of Technology (Caltech; Pasadena) in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas:

Intuitive said the lawsuit is “without merit,” and it will offer a vigorous defense. It said it has filed an action in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California seeking a declaration that it does not infringe the Caltech patents. Intuitive owns or has licensed rights to more than 500 patents related to its products, including patents licensed from SRI International, IBM, and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (Cambridge).

Lonnie Smith, president/CEO of Intuitive, said, “We are surprised to see these claims after selling our products worldwide for over eight years, particularly given the strength of our intellectual property portfolio. I am personally amazed that Caltech would allow a Texas-based, contingency-fee law firm to tarnish its reputation by such an outrageous approach. We are prepared to do what is necessary to defend our company and our intellectual property rights.”

Intuitive is the manufacturer of the robotic da Vinci Surgical System.