Knobbe Martens Olson & Bear LLP is pleased to announce that it has successfully concluded a jury trial in Wilmington, Delaware on behalf of its longstanding client, Masimo Corp. of Irvine, California. On October 1, 2014, an eight-person jury unanimously awarded Masimo over $466 million in damages against Philips Electronics North America Corp. for infringing two Masimo patents. The jury also rejected Philips’s challenge to the validity of these patents and Philips’s claim that Masimo owed $169 million for allegedly infringing a Philips patent. Masimo’s patents have now been successfully enforced in multiple lawsuits over the last decade handled by Knobbe Martens, one of the nation’s largest law firms devoted to intellectual property. The firm is pleased with the Delaware verdict and grateful to the jury for their thoughtful consideration of the evidence.
Joseph Re, lead trial counsel for Masimo, said “Knobbe Martens is proud to have represented Masimo all these years to protect its innovative and groundbreaking technology. I am also grateful to my fellow partners at Knobbe who made this result possible, particularly Karen Weil, Jon Gurka, and Brian Horne.” In 2004, the same Knobbe attorneys obtained a $134 million verdict for Masimo against its primary competitor, Nellcor/Covidien.
Masimo’s technology has revolutionized pulse oximetry, dramatically improving patient care worldwide, while at the same time decreasing the cost of care. Re added that, “Encouraging and rewarding this type of true innovation is exactly what the patent system was intended to accomplish. In view of criticism of our nation’s patent system, this case was a wonderful reminder that our system works to protect innovation.”
About Knobbe Martens:
With over 275 lawyers and scientists nationwide, Knobbe Martens Olson & Bear LLP dedicates its practice to all aspects of intellectual property law, including post-grant review proceedings before the United States Patent and Trademark Office. Consistently ranked among the top intellectual property firms worldwide, Knobbe Martens serves a diverse group of clients from multinational corporations to emerging businesses of all stages. Headquartered in Orange County, California, Knobbe Martens also has offices in San Diego, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Silicon Valley, Seattle and Washington, D.C. More information about the firm can be found at www.knobbe.com.
About Masimo:
Masimo is a global medical technology company that develops and manufactures innovative noninvasive patient monitoring technologies, including medical devices and a wide array of sensors. A key medical technology innovator, Masimo is responsible for the invention of award-winning noninvasive technologies that are revolutionizing patient monitoring, including Masimo SET® pulse oximetry, Masimo Rainbow Pulse CO-Oximetry and new Masimo noninvasive and continuous total hemoglobin (SpHb™) monitoring technology. The recent introduction of the first-and-only FDA-cleared technology that noninvasively and continuously measures total hemoglobin without a painful needle stick and invasive blood draw is expected to open new markets and significantly expand the company’s growth opportunities.
