The U.S. Patent Trial and Appeal Board has agreed to review the validity of an Intuitive Surgical (NSDQ:ISRG) patent that’s being challenged by Johnson & Johnson’s (NYSE:JNJ) Auris Health.
Auris filed a petition with the PTAB in June, arguing that the patent on Intuitive’s surgical navigation guidance system covers well-known ideas, according to a report by Bloomberg Law. The patent covers methods that surgeons can use to minimize the risk of an endoscope puncturing or damaging tissue, the report added. Intuitive filed the original patent infringement case against Auris in 2018, before J&J acquired the company for $3.4 billion.
Redwood City, Calif.-based Auris Health, which was created by Intuitive Surgical founder and surgical robotics pioneer Dr. Fred Moll, developed and produces the robotic Monarch platform which has FDA clearance for diagnostic and therapeutic bronchoscopic procedures.
The PTAB declined to review a second Intuitive patent, the report said.
