Healthcare Industry News:  negative pressure wound 

Devices Wound Care Litigation

 News Release - January 10, 2008

KCI and Wake Forest File Federal Patent Lawsuit Against Innovative Therapies, Inc.

SAN ANTONIO--(HSMN NewsFeed)--Kinetic Concepts, Inc. (NYSE: KCI ) today announced that, together with Wake Forest University Health Sciences, it has filed a patent infringement lawsuit against Innovative Therapies, Inc. (ITI) in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of North Carolina. The federal complaint alleges that a negative pressure wound therapy device recently introduced by ITI infringes three Wake Forest patents which are exclusively licensed to KCI.

“Patent protection is the key to innovation across all industries,” said Catherine M. Burzik, President and CEO of KCI. “We have filed this case because our intellectual property is being knowingly and unlawfully exploited. KCI is a world leader in advanced wound care innovation. Our intellectual property is a core asset, representing the work of dedicated engineers, scientists and doctors, as well as millions of dollars in KCI investment each year. We will continue to protect our valuable intellectual property rights.”

Since the recent introduction of a negative pressure device by ITI, KCI has discovered that the device unlawfully incorporates inventions covered by the three Wake Forest patents. KCI and Wake Forest are seeking damages and permanent injunctive relief in the case.

KCI recently filed state court claims against ITI and three of its principals, all of whom were former employees of KCI. The claims, filed in state District Court in Bexar County, Texas on January 2, 2008, include breach of confidentiality agreements, conversion of KCI technology, theft of trade secrets and conspiracy.

About KCI

Kinetic Concepts, Inc. is a global medical technology company with leadership positions in advanced wound-care and therapeutic surfaces. We design, manufacture, market and service a wide range of proprietary products that can improve clinical outcomes and can help reduce the overall cost of patient care. Our advanced wound-care systems incorporate our proprietary Vacuum Assisted Closure®, or V.A.C.® Therapy technology, which has been demonstrated clinically to promote wound healing through unique mechanisms of action and can help reduce the cost of treating patients with serious wounds. Our therapeutic surfaces, including specialty hospital beds, mattress replacement systems and overlays, are designed to address pulmonary complications associated with immobility, to reduce skin breakdown and assist caregivers in the safe and dignified handling of obese patients. We have an infrastructure designed to meet the specific needs of medical professionals and patients across all health care settings, including acute care hospitals, extended care organizations and patients’ homes, both in the United States and abroad. For more information, visit www.kci1.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are based on our current expectations and are subject to a number of uncertainties. All information set forth in this release is as of its date, and we undertake no duty to update this information. More information about the company is described in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2006, and our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the fiscal quarter ended September 30, 2007, both of which are on file with the SEC and available at the SEC’s Web site at www.sec.gov.


Source: Kinetic Concepts

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