In this article, Dr. Shirin Towfigh, a Beverly Hills surgeon with over 22 years of experience, believed she had created a groundbreaking medical device to improve hernia care for women. She has accused Medtronic, a prominent medical device company, of infringing on her patented design.
Towfigh noticed that many of her female hernia patients faced complications post-surgery due to existing mesh designs being more suited for male anatomy. In response, she developed a new design and filed for an international patent in 2016 to enhance patient outcomes.
In a lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court in Delaware, Towfigh alleges that Medtronic stole her design after a meeting in 2015 where both parties signed a non-disclosure agreement. Despite her attempts to collaborate with Medtronic, she claims that the company introduced a hernia mesh product in 2017 that closely resembled her patented design.
Expressing disappointment in Medtronic’s actions, Towfigh is seeking unspecified damages through the lawsuit. Medtronic, in response, stated that they are reviewing the complaint and emphasized their commitment to respecting intellectual property rights.
Towfigh recounts multiple attempts to address the issue with Medtronic, including an offer to join the company as chief medical officer of the hernia division, which she declined. She was shocked when shown a pre-market sample of Medtronic’s new hernia mesh product in 2020, which she found to be strikingly similar to her own pending patent design.
The lawsuit against Medtronic is not the first instance of the company facing patent infringement allegations. Previous cases include a $23.5 million award to Dr. Mark Barry in 2014 and a $1 billion settlement with Edwards Lifesciences over patent disputes. In 2020, Medtronic was ordered to pay $106.5 million to Colibri Heart Valve for patent violations related to heart valve replacement technology.
Contributions to this report were made by CNBC’s Scott Zamost and Agne Tolockaite.
