Thermage sues Alma Lasers for patent infringement

Thermage, Inc. has announced that it has filed a patent infringement lawsuit against Alma Lasers, Ltd. and Alma Lasers, Inc. in Delaware Federal District Court.

The lawsuit claims that 10 Thermage(R) U.S. patents, covering Thermage's innovative skin tightening and contouring technology, are infringed by Alma's Accent XL product, and six of those patents are infringed by Alma's Harmony product. In addition to damages and attorney fees, Thermage is asking the Court to enjoin Alma from further infringement.

"Several of the patents Alma infringes are the same as those admitted in 2005 by Syneron, Inc. as valid in a paid license settlement of prior litigation between Thermage and Syneron," said Stephen Fanning, President and Chief Executive Officer of Thermage. "We notified Alma as early as February 2006 that its Accent product in particular would infringe our patents if marketed in the United States. We were disappointed to hear in late April 2007 of Alma's receipt of FDA clearance for Accent XL, and Alma's intent to market this product in the U.S. in disregard of our patents. We are extremely confident our patents will be upheld by the Court and that Alma will be ordered to cease its infringement."

Thermage pioneered the use of radiofrequency energy to tighten skin while cooling the epidermis, and has been a leader in the non-ablative skin tightening field since its initial product introduction in 2002. To date, Thermage has 30 issued U.S. patents, 18 foreign issued patents, and numerous patent applications pending worldwide.

http://www.thermage.com/