Boston Scientific loses patent-infringement verdict

Boston Scientific Corp. said today that it will seek to overturn a $431-million patent infringement verdict that went against it on the grounds that the jury verdict is unsupported by both the evidence and the law.

In a press release this morning, the Natick-based medical device maker announced that a jury in US District Court in Texas has reached a verdict in a patent infringement lawsuit brought against the company by Dr. Bruce Saffran.

The jury found that some of the company's Taxus drug-eluting stents infringed on a valid patent of Saffran's, and the jury awarded damages of $431 million.

Boston Scientific said in its statement that it plans to seek to overturn the verdict in post-trial motions before the district court and if that it unsuccessful, the company will appeal to the US Court of Appeals.

Stents are wire-mesh tubes that are used to prevent arteries from narrowing after the arteries have been unclogged during a medical procedure.
(By Chris Reidy, Globe staff)