$482 Million Awarded to Dr. Bruce Saffran: Dickstein Shapiro and Albritton Law Firm Continue to Prevail in Stent Patent Infringement Actions

MARSHALL, Texas, Jan. 28, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- A federal jury in Marshall, Texas has returned a $482 million verdict for Dickstein Shapiro LLP client Dr. Bruce N. Saffran against defendants Johnson & Johnson and its subsidiary, Cordis Corporation, in Saffran v. Johnson & Johnson and Cordis Corp., No. 2:07-CV-451 (TJW) (E.D. Texas), before Judge T. John Ward. Significantly, the jury found that the Cypher™ drug-eluting cardiac stent, manufactured and distributed by Cordis Corp., infringed Dr. Saffran's patent, No. 5,363,760, "Method and Apparatus for Managing Macromolecular Distribution." The jury deliberated for exactly two hours before returning its verdict that the patent was valid and willfully infringed, awarding damages of $482 million.

"We are gratified that a second jury has found that Dr. Saffran's patent was valid and willfully infringed and that it constituted a significant medical advancement allowing the development of the drug-eluting cardiac stent, as recognized by the $482 million verdict," said Dickstein Shapiro Senior Litigation Partner Paul R. Taskier. "We have worked for many years to achieve this vindication for Dr. Saffran, and it is another in a long line of victories for Dickstein Shapiro's preeminent Intellectual Property Practice. Dr. Saffran came to us in 2003, convinced that his patent was being infringed by Boston Scientific and Johnson & Johnson, which have earned more than $20 billion as a result of his invention, and we are very grateful to the court and the jury for doing justice in this case."

In January 2008, Dr. Saffran, Dickstein Shapiro, and Albritton Law Firm obtained a $431,867,351 verdict from another federal jury in the same courthouse against Boston Scientific Corporation in which the jury also found that Boston Scientific's Taxus™ drug-eluting cardiac stent infringed Dr. Saffran's patent. The case against Johnson & Johnson and Cordis Corp. was tried to the jury by local Longview, Texas, attorney, Eric M. Albritton, of The Albritton Law Firm, Houston Texas patent attorneys Danny L. Williams and Matthew Rodgers, of Williams, Morgan and Amerson, and Washington, D.C. attorneys Paul R. Taskier, James W. Brady, Jr. and Kenneth W. Brothers of Dickstein Shapiro LLP. Dickstein Shapiro has litigated the case since its filing in 2007 under the leadership of Gary M. Hoffman, head of Dickstein Shapiro's Intellectual Property Group, Senior Litigation Partner Paul R. Taskier, Patent Partner James W. Brady, Jr., and Patent Partner Jeremy A. Cubert. Johnson & Johnson and Cordis Corp. were represented by their longtime counsel, Gregory L. Diskant and Scott B. Howard of Patterson, Belknap, Tyler and Webb of New York, New York, and by Richard A. Sayles of Sayles Werbner of Dallas, Texas.

Dickstein Shapiro's nationally ranked Intellectual Property Practice has more than 80 attorneys who work with clients to develop strategies that capitalize on their intellectual property assets and achieve their business objectives. The firm is ranked by Chambers USA, Managing Intellectual Property and Intellectual Property Today as a top firm for intellectual property work. Dickstein Shapiro has the experience, skill, and knowledge to successfully solve intellectual property problems for clients striving to succeed in this ever-changing, highly competitive arena.

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SOURCE Dickstein Shapiro LLP