Conformis Files for Interference Proceeding Against Imperial Innovations Group
Burlington, Mass. – March 21, 2012 – Conformis, Inc. filed documents to initiate an interference proceeding in the United States Patent and Trademark Office involving a patent application held by Imperial Innovations Group. The subject patent application, US 2011/0218635A1 entitled „Modular Knee Implants,“ lists Andrew Amis, Robert Wozencroft, and Justin Cobb as inventors. Imperial Innovations Group, an entity associated with the Imperial College London, recently announced a license of patented technology to Stanmore Implants in addition to a $4 million investment in the company to develop that technology, including the patient-specific Savile Row Unicondylar Knee implant.
Conformis believes that it was the first to develop this technology. Conformis President and CEO, Philipp Lang, MD, stated, „Conformis strongly disagrees with the recent claim in a press release issued by Stanmore and Imperial Innovations Group that they are developing the ‚world’s first fully personalized early knee replacement surgery system,‘ and Conformis has filed papers that will help set the record straight.“
David Cerveny, General Counsel and Senior Vice President of Intellectual Property at Conformis added that, „Conformis technology related to patient-specific implants and instruments has been in development for more than a decade and Conformis has a significant patent portfolio protecting that technology. With this filing, Conformis has essentially requested that the United States Patent and Trademark Office make a determination that Conformis inventions in the area predate the work that Imperial Innovations and Stanmore are presently undertaking.“
About Conformis, Inc.
Conformis, Inc. is a privately-held company that develops and commercializes medical devices for osteoarthritis treatment and joint damage. Its proprietary intellectual property includes more than 300 patents and patent applications in the areas of imaging software, image processing, implant design, surgical techniques, instrumentation, and manufacturing, spanning knee, hip, shoulder, spine, and small joints including patient-specific fixed bearing and mobile bearing implants. Conformis knee implants and instrumentation are designed to address all stages of osteoarthritis, the most common reason for knee replacement surgery. All devices have been cleared by the US Food and Drug Administration for marketing in the US. In 2009, Conformis was named a winner of the Medical Design Excellence Awards, the premier recognition for contributions and advances in the design of medical products, for its iUni and iDuo resurfacing implants. In 2011, Conformis received the American Technology Award for innovation with its iTotal CR product.