HPK receives Reissue Patent for digital slide scanning

Hamamatsu Photonics K.K. (HPK) is pleased to announce that is has been awarded Reissue Patent No. 42,220 ("RE42,220"), confirming the patentability of its original Patent 6,847,729, a pioneering patent directed to slide scanning with remote viewing.

This patent is for the essential mechanism whereby a microscope slide is scanned and then digitized for remote viewing. The patent covers the basic operation of HPK's line of NanoZoomer® digital pathology instruments (including the NanoZoomer® 2.0HT, and the NanoZoomer® 2.0RS). The NanoZoomer® instruments have been widely accepted in the digital pathology market and the strong patent position of HPK should encourage software manufacturers to develop software that supports the NanoZoomer® platform.

Asked to comment on this seminal digital slide scanning patent, Mr. Hitoshi Iida, Managing Director of HPK, stated, "By reissuing this patent, we believe the USPTO has sustained the validity of this most central digital pathology patent. We now feel confident to move forward with enforcement of our patent rights."

The affirmation of the patentability of the patent claims demonstrates the innovation encompassed in scanning products HPK has developed. While HPK is willing to discuss the licensing of this patent on reasonable terms to others, it is studying the slide scanning products on the market with a view to demanding that all infringements of its RE42,220 patent cease..