A federal judge overturned a lower court's ruling in the patent dispute over implantable defibrillators between Medtronic ($MDT) and Boston Scientific ($BSX), negating Medtronic's earlier legal victory.
At issue are patents owned by Mirowski Family Ventures and licensed to Boston Scientific. Medtronic says it had its own license to the two patents when it used them in cardiac rhythm therapy devices, and the company sued in 2007 to get out of paying royalties on them, Bloomberg reports.
A district judge previously sided with Medtronic, but the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit has tossed that ruling, saying the lower court erred in its reasoning and improperly placed the burden of proof on the defendants, according to the news service.
Now the case has been remanded for further procedures, meaning Medtronic will again have to argue its contention.
"We are reviewing the decision and considering possible further appellate review before returning to the trial court for a new trial," Medtronic spokesman Christopher Garland told Bloomberg.
- read the court's ruling (PDF)
- check out Bloomberg's report