Palomar Successful in U.S. Patent Office Re-Examination of Hair Remo...( This light-based hair removal patent ...),Health

This light-based hair removal patent family has already been licensed to ten competitors and is also the subject of a patent infringement lawsuit against Syneron, Inc. in the United States.

Chief Executive Officer Joseph P. Caruso commented, "We are very pleased with the office action issued by the U.S. Patent Office as we have always believed in the strength of this patent family. We are especially pleased with the speed with which this re-examination was handled. Defendants often request re-examination purely to cause long delays of patent infringement lawsuits. We look forward to re-starting the patent infringement lawsuit against Candela as quickly as possible."

Mr. Caruso continued, "Palomar exclusively licensed the '844 and '568 patents from Massachusetts General Hospital in 1995. Palomar was the first company to receive FDA clearance and bring a high powered light-based hair removal system to market. Palomar was later the first company to receive FDA clearance for permanent hair reduction and the first company to receive over-the-counter clearance from the FDA for a hair removal device. After establishing light-based hair removal as a viable treatment option, many competitors began to use our technology. Several properly took licenses while others opted not to at their own risk. Unauthorized taking of technology is what the patent system is designed to prevent. We intend to continue our aggressive patent enforcement strategy both to protect our own investment in research and market development as well as the investment of our competitor licensees."

Patricia Davis, Palomar's General Counsel and a registered patent attorney, commented, "We are pleased but not surprised by the U.S. Patent Office's position which supports our belief in the strength of the '844 patent. The cancellation of claims 12-14 will have no effect on our current licensees or on our ability to enforce and license the '844 p
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