Smith & Nephew gets injunction against competitor

ANDOVER -- Medical device maker Smith & Nephew PLC said today that a federal judge granted an injunction barring competitor Arthrex from making certain devices used in tissue-repair surgeries.

The patent, which is licensed to Smith & Nephew by Dr. John O. Hayhurst, covers a device called an anchor. It allows doctors to reattach tissue to bone and is mostly used in shoulder surgeries.

Smith & Nephew said in a press release that the injunction takes effect 60 days following the final judgment, on Jan. 18.

In June, a federal jury ordered privately-held Arthrex to pay $14.7 million in a patent infringement dispute with Smith & Nephew and Hayhurst.

"We are fully committed to defending our intellectual property from being infringed by Arthrex or any other companies that violate our rights," said Michael Frazzette, president of Smith & Nephew Endoscopy, in a statement.

Representatives at Naples, Fla.-based Arthrex could not be reached for comment.

Shares of Smith & Nephew fell $1.17, or 3.2 percent, to $35.22 in morning trading on the New York Stock Exchange, having hit a new five-year low of $35.13 earlier. The shares declined during a sharp downturn in the broader market. (AP)