Summary
Becton, Dickinson and Company (BD) has received favorable news regarding a patent dispute. On August 8, 2008, a jury ruled in favor of BD, determining that Abbott Laboratories' patent related to BD's discontinued blood glucose monitoring business is not valid. This ruling represents the resolution of the final patent asserted by Therasense and Abbott Laboratories against BD in this case. The court had previously sided with BD on the other three patents involved. While this is a significant victory, BD anticipates that the plaintiffs will appeal the judgment. Investors should monitor any developments related to potential appeals, as a successful appeal could have implications for the company. However, based on the current jury verdict and prior court rulings, this outcome is positive for BD.
Key Highlights
- 1Becton, Dickinson and Company (BD) won a jury verdict in a patent dispute.
- 2The ruling, dated August 8, 2008, declared Abbott Laboratories' patent invalid.
- 3This patent was the last of four asserted by plaintiffs (Therasense and Abbott Laboratories) against BD.
- 4The patents in question relate to BD's discontinued blood glucose monitoring business.
- 5BD had previously won favorable rulings from the court on the other three patents in the case.
- 6The company expects the plaintiffs to appeal the recent jury judgment.