Zecotek Files Patent Lawsuit Against Saint-Gobain Corporation and Philips

SINGAPORE, Feb. 23, 2012 /PRNewswire/ - Zecotek Photonics Inc. (TSX-V: ZMS) (Frankfurt: W1I), a developer of leading-edge photonics technologies for medical, industrial and scientific markets, today announced that its subsidiary, Zecotek Imaging Systems Pte Ltd., has started legal action in United States Federal District Court in Los Angeles against defendants Saint-Gobain Corporation and Philips for infringement of Zecotek's U.S. Patent Number 7,132,060.  Zecotek's patent covers the substances and chemical formulations used to grow lutetium fine silicate (LFS) scintillation crystals which are characterized by their combined high light yield and ultra-fast decay times and are typically used in medical scanning devices.  The lawsuit alleges that Saint-Gobain's LYSO crystals infringe Zecotek's patent, and that Philips infringes by using those crystals in the PET scanners it sells.  

"We believe that this patent is fundamental, and that damages are very substantial," said Dr. A.F. Zerrouk, Chairman, President, and CEO of Zecotek Photonics Inc.  "Our management, engineers with its principal scientists Drs. Alexander I. Zagumennyi and Yuri D. Zavartsev, world leading crystal scientists and members of the Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences, have invested significant resources in the development and commercialization of our LFS scintillation crystals, including our ultra-fast Ce:Ca:LSO/LYSO scintillators.  We have spent many years of hard work to develop and secure this unique crystal technology.   We are determined to vigorously enforce our intellectual property rights to recover damages afflicted on Zecotek and the lost value to our shareholders".

U.S. Patent # 7,132,060 covering Zecotek's LFS scintillation crystals was granted on November 6, 2006.

Zecotek is joined by its exclusive licensee for certain LFS crystals, Beijing Opto-Electronics Technology Co. Ltd., as co-plaintiff.  Zecotek is being represented by Thomas Loop of the law firm of Graybeal Jackson LLP and Justin Nelson of Susman Godfrey LLP.  Both firms are recognized leaders in patent law and intellectual property litigation matters.

About Zecotek
Zecotek Photonics Inc (TSX-V: ZMS; Frankfurt: W1I) is a photonics technology company developing high-performance crystals, photo detectors, medical lasers, optical imaging and 3D display technologies for commercial applications in the medical diagnostics and high-tech industry.  Founded in 2003, the company has three distinct operating divisions: medical imaging, medical lasers and 3D display and labs located in Canada, Singapore and Russia.  Zecotek commercializes its novel, patented and patent-pending bio-photonic technologies directly and through strategic alliances and joint ventures with multinational OEMs, distributors and other industry leaders.  For more information, please visit www.zecotek.com.

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SOURCE Zecotek Medical Systems Inc.