HAYWARD, Calif. and
Buffalo Grove, Ill., May 11 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Solta Medical,
Inc. (Nasdaq: SLTM), Alma Lasers Ltd. and Alma Lasers, Inc. today
announced that they have reached an agreement resolving lawsuits
involving certain Thermage® patents held by Solta Medical.
The lawsuit was originally filed on April
26, 2007 in the U.S. District Court in Delaware by Alma Lasers seeking a declaration
that nine Thermage patents were invalid and not infringed.
Solta Medical filed counterclaims alleging that certain Alma
systems for non-invasively treating skin infringed 11 of its
patents, and sought damages and injunctive relief. The patents
addressed in the lawsuit cover methods and devices for tightening
skin and achieving other beneficial improvements in skin and tissue
structures, all without damaging the skin surface. Alma
subsequently filed counterclaims alleging that all 11 patents which
were asserted were not infringed and were not valid.
Terms of the Agreement
As a result of the agreement, Solta Medical and Alma are
dismissing their respective litigation claims and have granted each
other a covenant not to sue under certain of their respective
patents and patent applications, including all the patents involved
in the litigation. In addition, Alma paid Solta Medical a one time
payment of $2.25 million. Solta
Medical excluded from the covenant any rights to utilize monopolar
RF which utilizes a passive return electrode. Additional terms of
the settlement remain confidential.
"We are pleased we were able to reach an amicable settlement
while protecting our propriety position in monopolar technology,
one of the key components used to create deep, uniform volumetric
heating," said Stephen J. Fanning,
Chairman of the Board, President and CEO of Solta Medical, Inc.
"Solta Medical has invested more than 14 years developing,
validating, and creating a strong IP portfolio and we will continue
to invest in the scientific research needed to develop new,
non-invasive aesthetic procedures." Solta Medical currently
holds 80 United States patents, and has additional patents issued
and pending worldwide.
Dr. Ziv Karni, President and
Chief Executive Officer of Alma Lasers said, "We are delighted to
have resolved our litigation with Solta Medical and to have
obtained the covenant not to sue under Solta Medical's patents. We
are also pleased that Solta Medical appreciated the value inherent
in our BiPolar and UniPolar Radio Frequency technology and as a
result we were able to mutually resolve our dispute. "
ABOUT SOLTA MEDICAL, INC.
Solta Medical is a global leader in the medical aesthetics
market providing innovative, safe, and effective anti-aging
solutions for patients that enhance and expand the practice of
medical aesthetics for physicians. The company offers products to
address a range of skin issues under the industry's three premier
brands: Thermage®, Fraxel® and Isolaz®. Thermage is an innovative,
non-invasive radiofrequency procedure for tightening and contouring
skin. As the leader in fractional laser technology, Fraxel delivers
minimally invasive clinical solutions to resurface aging and sun
damaged skin. Isolaz is the only laser or light based system
indicated for the treatment of inflammatory acne, comedonal acne,
pustular acne, and mild-to-moderate inflammatory acne. Since 2002,
approximately one million Thermage, Fraxel and Isolaz procedures
have been performed in over 100 countries. For more information
about Solta Medical, call 1-877-782-2286 or log on to
www.solta.com.
ABOUT ALMA LASERS
Alma Lasers is a global developer, manufacturer and provider of
laser, light-based, radiofrequency and ultrasound devices for
aesthetic and medical applications. Alma Lasers has been at the
forefront of innovative multi-technology / multi-application
systems designed to meet the unique needs of today's practitioners.
Alma's mission is to provide modular, cost-effective and
high-performance systems that enable practitioners to confidently
offer safe, effective and profitable aesthetic treatments to their
patients. For more information about Alma Lasers, please call
1-866-414-2562 or log on to www.almalasers.com.
SOURCE Solta Medical