Medtronic (NYSE:MDT) is looking to settle a patent infringement dispute over transcatheter aortic valve replacements with a doctor who sued the company and cross-town rival St. Jude Medical (NYSE:STJ), which last week lost its bid to have the case dismissed.
Dr. Robert Snyder, founder of Snyders Heart Valve, filed suits last year in the U.S. District Court for Eastern Texas claiming that both companies used technologies covered by his patents for an artificial heart valve and delivery system called the Funnel valve, according to court documents. The lawsuits, which were later consolidated, allege that St. Jude’s Portico valve and Medtronic CoreValve and CoreValve Evolut implants infringe a pair of his patents.
St. Jude moved to have the case dismissed for lack of venue, arguing that it’s business isn’t based in Texas and that none of the allegedly infringing behavior occurred there. Judge Amos Mazzant disagreed, ruling May 12 that “plaintiff makes a prima facie showing that defendants would be subject to personal jurisdiction in this district. Accordingly, venue is proper,” notwithstanding the U.S. Supreme Court agreeing to review a case that could have some bearing, Mazzant wrote.
“The Supreme Court’s grant of certiorari does not change existing law regarding venue in a patent infringement action. And even if the TC Heartland decision is ultimately reversed, Plaintiff’s choice of venue was permitted under prevailing law at the time it was made,” he wrote.
Yesterday co-defendant Medtronic and Snyders Heart Valve asked the judge to stay all deadlines for a month so they can hammer out the details on a settlement agreement.
“The parties hereby notify the court that all matters related to the case involving the Medtronic defendants have been resolved in principle. The parties request that the court stay all unreached case deadlines applicable between plaintiff and the Medtronic defendants for thirty (30) days so the appropriate dismissal papers may be submitted to dismiss all claims in this action with regard to the Medtronic defendants,” according to the documents.