Healthcare Industry News: Nd:Yag laser
News Release - January 15, 2008
CoolTouch Inc. Responds to Cynosure Patent Infringement Lawsuit
ROSEVILLE, Calif., Jan. 15 (HSMN NewsFeed) -- CoolTouch Inc., a pioneering manufacturer of medical lasers, states the CoolTouch CoolLipo(TM) 1320 wavelength laser was designed to be superior to the Cynosure SmartLipo 1064 technology and does not infringe. Among other reasons, the CoolLipo incorporates state-of-the-art 1320 nm laser technology, coated fibers, and a variety of handpieces which allow the fiber to be extended beyond the end of the cannula, thereby not infringing the '873 patent whose claims require that the fiber must be adjacent to the end of the cannula. The CoolTouch advantage of extending the fiber beyond the cannula helps prevent inadvertent heating of the cannula and assists in cutting connective tissue.Additionally, thousands of pulsed Nd:Yag lasers with specifications identical to the SmartLipo have been sold since the mid-1980s. The fiber optic and delivery handpieces described in the '873 patent have also been commercially available for over 20 years for use in orthopedics, general surgery, urology and oral surgery. Combine this "off-the-shelf technology" with the pioneering clinical work by Drs. Dressel and Apfelberg and others in the early 1990s on laser-assisted lipolysis and the Paolini patent claims are obvious, invalidating the patent. The recent Supreme Court rulings on obviousness may also play a role in invalidating these patents.
"We welcome the opportunity to establish the facts with respect to patents that Cynosure claims are being infringed through our sales of the CoolLipo(TM) laser for laser-assisted lipolysis," states CoolTouch CEO Dave Hennings. "It will be good to get the facts established so that we can continue to focus on providing the latest technology to our present and future a esthetically-focused physicians."
CoolTouch has developed an extensive patent portfolio over the past 14 years including three important patents used to percutaneously tighten skin and treat wrinkles. Cynosure's exposure to these patents will also be part of this litigation. The CoolTouch technology is described in the recently published CoolTouch patent application # US2007/0293849.
"We will vigorously defend our own patent portfolio," according to Hennings. "We have spent a great deal of time and effort developing these technologies and will enforce them by license or otherwise where it makes sense."
About CoolTouch
CoolTouch Inc. located in Roseville, California designs, manufactures and markets light-based aesthetic and medical products with a firm commitment to continuing innovation and excellent customer service. The CoolTouch Nd:YAG product line includes: the CoolTouch CT3PLUS(TM) 1320 nm with CoolBreeze(TM) mode for painless acne and wrinkle treatment for all skin types, The CoolTouch VARIA(TM) 1064 nm, providing safe and effective treatment for hair removal, vascular conditions and skin tightening and the CoolTouch CTEV(TM) 1320 nm endovenous laser for treatment of varicose veins.
For more information please visit http://www.cooltouch.com
Source: CoolTouch
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