A federal judge shot down motions by Medtronic (NYSE:MDT) and rival NuVasive (NSDQ:NUVA) in a patent infringement lawsuit over spinal implant technology.
In September 2011, a federal jury in San Diego awarded $101.2 million to Medtronic and $660,000 to its smaller rival. The Twin Cities colossus then asked the court to forever bar NuVasive from making or selling 1 of its spinal implants that the jury found to infringe Medtronic patents. For its part, NuVasive asked the court to overturn the verdict or grant a new trial.
Today Judge Michael Anello of the U.S. District Court for Southern California denied both bids in “tentative” rulings ahead of a hearing tomorrow.
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“Counsel is advised the court’s rulings are tentative and the court will entertain additional argument at the hearing,” Anello wrote, according to court documents.
The case dates back to 2008, when a group of Medtronic subsidiaries sued NuVasive, accusing the San Diego-based company of infringing 9 patents relating to spinal implants. NuVasive in turn accused Medtronic of trespassing on three of its patents.
