Medtronic sued by doctor for alleged patent infringement
Pelvic surgery consultancy group Hexagon Health and its founder Shirin Towfigh, MD, have filed a lawsuit against Medtronic, alleging that the medical device company infringed on patents related to hernia mesh treatments.
Towfigh claims that Medtronic is manufacturing devices that utilize three patents owned by her and Hexagon Health, specifically a hernia repair device known as Dextile, which features a novel fin shape for broader mesh coverage.
The device was designed by Towfigh, and the patents were awarded to her and Hexagon Health by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, according to the lawsuit. Towfigh, a hernia repair surgeon, developed the mesh to address common post-surgery injuries her patients were experiencing.
Medtronic allegedly continued to manufacture and sell Dextile, modeled after Towfigh’s patents.
"Medtronic's improper use of Hexagon Health's hernia mesh designs has cost Dr. Towfigh significant financial gain and created a disincentive for other physician-entrepreneurs to enter the medical device marketplace with innovative products for patients in need," Nicholas Groombridge, Hexagon Health's attorney and partner at the law firm Groombridge, Wu, Baughman & Stone, said in a statement.
Details of the damages being sought in the lawsuit have not been disclosed. Medtronic has yet to respond to the claim but has been issued a summons, according to updates on the federal court tracker PacerMonitor. The lawsuit was filed in a Delaware court on Nov. 12.
Dextile is still listed for sale on Medtronic’s website.
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