U.S. District Court Finds Ormco Corporation's (a Division of Sybron Dental) Patents Invalid
26 Agosto 2004 - 10:15AM
PR Newswire (US)
U.S. District Court Finds Ormco Corporation's (a Division of Sybron
Dental) Patents Invalid SANTA CLARA, Calif., Aug. 26
/PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Align Technology, Inc. (NASDAQ:ALGN), the
inventor of the Invisalign(R) system, a proprietary method of
straightening teeth without wires and brackets, announced today
that the U.S. District Court has granted summary judgment in favor
of Align Technology, Inc. Ormco Corporation (a division of Sybron
Dental Specialties, Inc., NYSE: SYD) sued Align in 2003 alleging
infringement of four patents (Patent Nos. 5,447,432, 5,683,243,
6,244,861 and 6,616,444). The United States District Court for the
Central District, Southern Division, granted Align's motion for
summary judgment of invalidity of Ormco's patents (the Court ruled
earlier this year that Align does not infringe these patents). As
Ormco's patents were found invalid by the Court, this provides
Align additional freedom to operate in the field of digital
dentistry. The Court also denied Ormco's summary judgment motion
seeking a finding of invalidity of Align's patents (Patent Nos.
6,398,548 and 6,554,611). Align is represented by intellectual
property specialty firm, Townsend and Townsend and Crew LLP. "This
third summary judgment against Ormco is a testament to the lack of
any basis for Ormco's suit against us," said Thomas M. Prescott,
President and CEO of Align Technology, Inc. "We believe the
successful defense of our intellectual property, along with the
more than fifty patents issued and numerous patent applications
pending will enable long-term value creation for our shareholders.
Align will continue to invest in the technology and processes that
make Invisalign an important part of our customers' practices and
the most attractive way for consumers to gain a better smile."
About Align Technology, Inc. Align Technology designs, manufactures
and markets Invisalign, a proprietary method for treating
malocclusion, or the misalignment of teeth. Invisalign corrects
malocclusion using a series of clear, nearly invisible, removable
appliances that gently move teeth to a desired final position.
Because it does not rely on the use of metal or ceramic brackets
and wires, Invisalign significantly reduces the aesthetic and other
limitations associated with braces. Invisalign is appropriate for
treating adults and older teens. Align Technology was founded in
March 1997 and received FDA clearance to market Invisalign in 1998.
To learn more about Invisalign or to find a certified Invisalign
doctor, please visit http://www.invisalign.com/ or call
1-800-INVISIBLE. Forward-Looking Statements This news release
contains forward-looking statements, including statements regarding
Align's belief that the summary judgment will assist Align in
creating long-term value for its shareholders as well as Align's
belief that it will continue to invest in the technology and
processes that make Invisalign an important part of its customers'
practices. In addition, there is no assurance that the court's
decision will not be overturned on appeal. Forward-looking
statements contained in this news release relating to expectations
about future events or results are based upon information available
to Align as of the date hereof. Readers are cautioned that these
forward-looking statements are only predictions and are subject to
risks, uncertainties and assumptions that are difficult to predict.
As a result, actual results may differ materially and adversely
from those expressed in any forward-looking statement. Factors that
might cause such a difference include, but are not limited to,
risks relating to Align's ability to protect its intellectual
property rights and potential intellectual property or product
liability claims or litigation. These and other risks are detailed
from time to time in Align's periodic reports filed with the
Securities and Exchange Commission, including, but not limited to,
its Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December
31, 2003, which was filed with the Securities and Exchange
Commission on March 9, 2004, and its Quarterly Reports on Form
10-Q. Align undertakes no obligation to revise or update publicly
any forward- looking statements for any reason. Investor Relations
Contact: Press Contact: Barbara Domingo Shannon Henderson Align
Technology, Inc. Ethos Communications, Inc. 408-470-1000
678-417-1767 DATASOURCE: Align Technology, Inc. CONTACT: investors,
Barbara Domingo of Align Technology, Inc., +1-408-470-1000, or ; or
media, Shannon Henderson of Ethos Communications, Inc.,
+1-678-417-1767, or , for Align Technology, Inc. Web site:
http://www.invisalign.com/
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