I n t e l l i g e n t D e s i g n a n d D e v e l o p m e n t | |
| | PRESS RELEASE "Lucent Medical Systems Receives Patent Approvals" Kirkland, WA - Medical Systems today announced that the U.S. Patent Office has approved two of its recent submissions, paving the way for the company to market a family of cost-saving medical devices that detect indwelling tubes and catheters. The approval of the first patent, U.S. Patent # 5,425,382, "Apparatus and Method for Locating a Medical Tube in the Body of a Patient," covers the company's magnetic system for detecting indwelling medical devices through the use of magnetically tagged disposable tubes and a hand-held detector. The second approved patent, U.S. # 5,622,169, extends the scope of the initial patent application to include orientation and distance readings for a catheter or tube inside the body. According to Robert Golden, Ph.D., Chief Technology Officer for Lucent Medical Systems, the company is in the process of establishing an extensive intellectual property estate, with six more U.S. filings in process. These applications cover devices and systems that detect the location, orientation, and/or motion of indwelling medical devices. "With these patents in place, Lucent Medical will be well-positioned as the leader in this emerging area of medical technology", Dr. Golden said. The company has also filed applications for intellectual property protection in key foreign markets. Lucent Medical Systems President and CEO Christopher Somogyi said the company plans to initially apply its technology to two key medical markets: enteral feeding tubes and vascular access catheters. Somogyi said the market potential for both applications is significant because Lucent's systems make it easier for a wide-range of caregivers to locate medical devices within the body without over-reliance on expensive procedures such as X-ray. "We are convinced that our products will meet a significant need in the medical market, and we plan to continue to expand the number of applications of our technology," Somogyi said. "These patents will allow us to protect our technology as we continue research and product development." Enteral feeding tubes are used to provide nutrition to patients who cannot feed themselves; vascular access catheters deliver medications and nutrition directly into the bloodstream. Lucent Medical Systems was founded in 1994 to commercialize cost-saving medical inventions whose initial research and proof of concept was conducted by researchers at the University of Washington. The company received start-up funding from private investments, including JAFCO (formerly the Japan Associated Finance Corporation), and the Rathmann Family Foundation. The company has also received Small Business Innovation Research grants from the National Center for Research Resources of the National Institutes of Health.
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