Aircraft Medical: European Pate...( Aircraft Medical's Success at Euro...),Health

Aircraft Medical's Success at European Patent Hearing is Confirmed by

Verathon's Appeal.

EDINBURGH, Scotland, January 23 /PRNewswire/ -- The European Patent Office (EPO) has found Verathon's European Patent (the '131' patent) not valid as granted. In a ruling on Oct 16, 2007, a narrower version of the patent was upheld. In a PR twist however, Verathon issued a press statement into wide distribution announcing the EPO ruling as a success, despite the fact that the ruling severely weakened its patent.

Verathon has now appealed the EPO's October 2007 ruling. This appeal very effectively demonstrates that the EPO decision was in fact not favourable to Verathon.

In a re-examination request raised by Aircraft, the U.S. Patent Office has so far declared that every claim in Verathon's issued US Patent 6,543,447 is invalid. Aircraft has also taken the opportunity to challenge the validity of Verathon's European Patent, and has already successfully narrowed it as a result of substantial prior art, and will make further invalidity submissions to the EPO in due course.

Background

Aircraft Medical is the manufacturer of the McGrath(R) Series 5 which is the world's first fully portable video laryngoscope. It is the first video laryngoscope with a guaranteed sterile blade, and the first laryngoscope that can vary in length to suit varying anatomy. The McGrath(R) Series 5 has helped keep patients alive in emergency cases where other equipment has failed, and as a result is enjoying significant market uptake.

To date, Aircraft Medical has signed distribution contracts in North America and several European countries, by Dec 2012 Aircraft Medical's Directors anticipate these contracts could generate cumulative McGrath(R) sales in excess of $100m. Matt McGrath, Aircraft Medical's CEO, was this month named "Young Scot of the Year" by the Institute of Contemporary Scotland, in recognition of the invention of t
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