Angiotech to appeal court decision on stent patent

Canadian Press
February 28, 2006

Angiotech Pharmaceuticals, Inc. says it will appeal a British trial court decision to revoke the company's U.K. patent protecting its key coronary stent technology.

Vancouver-based Angiotech said Friday it intends to appeal a U.K. trial court decision to revoke the company's U.K. designation of its European patent on the paclitaxel technology, used in stents sold by the Canadian company's U.S. partner, Boston Scientific.

Angiotech is best known in the health care industry for helping to develop the Taxus drug-coated stent, a tiny mesh cylinder used to keep open clogged heart arteries. Angiotech technology is used to attach a scar-prevention drug to the stent.

The British trial court ruled Friday that Angiotech's U.K. patent was not valid in the country after a challenge brought by Conor MedSystems filed in February 2005. The patent, which applies only to the U.K., is only one of a number that protect Angiotech's stent technology, the company said.

The Angiotech European patent remains valid and enforceable in other parts of Europe after the company's successful defence of the patent before Europe's patent authorities last year.

In trading Friday on the Toronto Stock Exchange, Angiotech shares closed down 13 cents at $18.16.