Zoll sues Alsius in hypothermia patent dispute

Resuscitation device maker Zoll Medical Corp. said today that it is suing rival Alsius Corp. for patent infringement.

Chelmsford-based Zoll said the patents concern a device that controls a patient's body temperature using a catheter inserted into the bloodstream. Zoll does not currently market any products using that technology, but the company said Alsius is in violation of two patents covering such a device.

Zoll said the lawsuit will not have a significant effect on its profits.

Zoll chief financial officer Ernest Whiton said the Food and Drug Administration has approved hypothermia induction as a way to reduce a patient's body temperature. He added that doctors use the treatment on a variety of other ailments.

"It's using hypothermia as a therapy to manage a patient's temperature in therapy to treat other issues that a patient has, Whiton said in a telephone interview.

Irvine, Calif.-based Alsius said it is reviewing the suit, and is confident in the strength of its intellectual property.

In afternoon trading, Zoll shares gained 1 cent to $16.10. Alsius stock lost 6 cents, or 16.2 percent, to 31 cents. (AP)