In July 2014, Mindray scored an initial victory over a series of infringement lawsuits with EDAN Instruments, INC. Mindray won the first-instance trials of the patent of “electronic non-invasive blood pressure measuring system”(Patent Number: ZL03139708.5) and technology confidentiality as well as the second-instance trial over the patent of “a portable ultrasound diagnostic equipment” (Patent Number: ZL200710124611.7).
In the first-instance trial of the patent of “electronic non-invasive blood pressure measuring system”(Patent Number: ZL03139708.5), the court ruled in favor of Mindray, which accused EDAN of infringing on its patent. The ruling applied to all of EDAN’s multi-parameter monitoring products. According to the verdict, EDAN shall pay Mindray 15 million RMB as compensation. As for the first-instance on the lawsuit over technology confidentiality, EDAN was asked by the court to pay Mindray 20 million RMB, leading the total compensation to 35 million RMB. Edan was also ordered to bear all of the litigation costs.
In the second-instance trial of the case over “a portable ultrasound diagnostic equipment” (Patent Number: ZL200710124611.7), the court upheld the original court’s verdict that EDAN’s portable ultrasound system Dus6vet and other products infringed on Mindray's patent. EDAN was ordered to pay Mindray 1 million RMB as compensation and bear all of the litigation costs.
Three years have passed since Mindray sued EDAN for intellectual property infringement in April 2011. Apart from a few suits withdrawn by Mindray, the company has won all of the remaining cases against EDAN so far. In particular, Mindray’s victory of the "portable ultrasound diagnostic equipment" case is the first final verdict handed down by the court for this series of lawsuits against EDAN. It will have a deciding effect on the other three intellectual property infringement cases involving three other products.
Wang Jianxin, Chief Operating Officer of Mindray, said the series of infringement lawsuits against EDAN is a significant milestone in Mindray’s efforts to protect its intellectual property rights. “Mindray encourages innovation and attaches great importance to intellectual property. We try our best to safeguard the fruit of our research and development efforts and fight against illegal infringements through the legal channels in order to uphold order in the medical device market and safeguard our brand,” he said.
The compensation amount EDAN was ordered to pay Mindray is the highest ever among such intellectual property infringement cases in China’s medical device industry. The series of infringement cases also serve as a landmark court case and will have far-reaching impact on the healthy and orderly development of the medical device industry in China.