NEW YORK – Sysmex filed a lawsuit on Tuesday accusing Beckman Coulter of infringing patents covering sample analyzers.
In a complaint filed in US District Court for the District of Delaware, Sysmex, based in Kobe, Japan, and Sysmex America, headquartered in Lincolnshire, Illinois, allege multiple Beckman Coulter products willfully infringe two US patents held by Sysmex. The patents – US Patent numbers 10,401,350 and 10,401,351 – cover sample analyzers with a plurality of detectors for sensing blood or fluid samples, including at least one multi-mode detector that can function in blood measuring and body fluid measuring modes. The patents also cover the computer program associated with the analyzers.
Sysmex alleges in the complaint that Beckman Coulter's Unicel DxH 600, UniCel DxH 800, UniCel DxH 801, UniCel DxH 1600, DxH 1601, DxH 2400, and DxH 2401 analyzer systems include the sample analyzer patented by Sysmex.
The complaint also states that Beckman Coulter's UniCel DxH 900, UniCel DxH 900 SMS, UniCel DxH 900-2, UniCel DxH 900-2 SMS, UniCel DxH 900-3, and UniCel DxH 900-3 SMS analyzers include a second type of the sample analyzer covered by the '350 and '351 patents. The technology covered by the two patents were invented by researchers in Japan and assigned to Sysmex and Sysmex America on Tuesday.
Because Beckman Coulter's products have a plurality of detectors and system parameters for blood and body fluid analysis, along with other similarities including containing a multi-mode detector and requiring the same data input process, Sysmex argues its patent is being infringed.
Sysmex is seeking damages from Beckman Coulter. It also has asked the court to enjoin Beckman Coulter from manufacturing, using, offering to sell, selling, and/or supplying in or from the United States the accused products and any other systems and components of systems or methods that practice, or otherwise aiding or inducing Beckman Coulter's customers or other persons or entities to practice the subject matter of the patents.
Sysmex is seeking a jury trial.
A representative from Beckman Coulter said the company doesn't comment on litigation.