European Patent Office Upholds GlideScope® Video Laryngoscope Patent

BOTHELL, Wash., Aug. 20 /PRNewswire/ -- The European Patent Office ("EPO") Board of Appeals has issued a formal written decision to uphold European Patent No. EP 1307131 for Verathon Inc.'s GlideScope video laryngoscopes.

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The ruling, issued on July 26th, keeps the GlideScope patent in force in several European countries, including the UK, Germany, France, Denmark, Ireland and Italy. The patent, which does not expire until 2021, also remains valid in several countries outside of Europe.

The GlideScope patent, originally granted in Europe in May 2005, was opposed by Aircraft Medical Limited at the European Patent Office in February 2006. Aircraft Medical, maker of the McGrath video laryngoscope, is based in Edinburgh, Scotland.

Verathon® prevailed at a hearing in October 2007, when the EPO's Opposition Division rejected Aircraft Medical's opposition and upheld the GlideScope patent with amended claims.

The EPO's formal written decision in July concludes the Appeal filed by Aircraft Medical against Verathon's patent and the previous decision by the Opposition Division upholding the GlideScope patent.

About GlideScope

GlideScope video laryngoscopes provide a consistently clear, real-time view of the airway and of endotracheal tube placement. Designed for "1st Pass Success," GlideScope instruments, which minimize the need for "blind" intubation procedures, come in both single use and reusable configurations, and in a variety of sizes for patients from preterm to morbidly obese.

About Verathon Inc.

Verathon designs and manufactures reliable, state-of-the-art medical devices and services that offer a meaningful improvement in patient care to the health care community. The company's noninvasive BladderScan® instrument is a standard of care for portable bladder volume measurement. The brand is found in over 60 countries in Urology and Primary Care practices, as well as Acute and Extended Care facilities. With the January 2006 acquisition of Saturn Biomedical Systems in Vancouver, Canada, Verathon entered Anesthesiology, Critical Care and Emergency markets with the GlideScope Video Laryngoscope (GVL®) brand. Verathon is headquartered in Bothell, Washington and operates as a subsidiary of Roper Industries. For more information, please visit www.verathon.com.

Media Contact:

Jane Mueller, VP of Marketing, 425.867.1348, Ext. 5600

Copyright 2010, Verathon Inc. GlideScope, GVL, BladderScan, their respective symbols, Verathon and the Verathon torch symbol are registered trademarks of Verathon Inc.

SOURCE Verathon Inc.