A Delaware jury found yesterday that Boston Scientific infringed on patents covering a series of popular stents developed by Johnson & Johnson in the first round of the legal battle between the rivals. The decision covers three stents manufactured by Boston Scientific: the Express, the Liberte and the bestselling Taxus line. Legal experts have predicted the case could cost Boston Scientific $1 billion in damages and possibly much more. A seperate trial in August will decide if Boston Scientific "willfully infringed" on J&J's patent. If it did, the drug maker could face triple damages. Industry analysts say the decision is unlikely to lead to the Taxus being removed from the market, as the main patent covering its design is set to expire this year.
- see this story from The New York Times