Fujifilm Sonosite Inc. has filed suit against rival ultrasound maker Butterfly Network, claiming the company infringed on its imaging patents.
The Bothell, Washington-based corporation announced the court case Wednesday, filed in Delaware district court. Fujifilm claims Butterfly Network has violated seven patents tied to handheld, point of care ultrasound. Those include intellectual property pertaining to processing and displaying medical images, elements of its graphical interface, and the use of a probe attached to a mobile device.
President and Chief Operating Officer Rich Fabian said the company has made a “significant” investments in research and development and intends to defend them in court.
“We will enforce and protect our intellectual property rights in the United States and around the world when we believe others infringe on it unfairly,” he said in a March 9 statement.
A Butterfly Network spokesperson said the company does not comment on pending litigation but emphasized the Guilford, Connecticut, firm has a “robust” portfolio of more than 800 patents.
“We are aware of the lawsuit and are prepared to defend against any claims,” the company said in a brief statement.
Founded in 2011, Butterfly Network recently went public on the New York Stock Exchange following a $1.5 billion merger deal. The company has stated its goal is to “democratize” imaging using portable ultrasound technology that connects to mobile devices. Leaders separately announced Wednesday that they had received a $5 million grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to provide 1,000 imaging systems in Sub-Saharan Africa.
Fujifilm Sonosite, meanwhile, is part of the larger, Tokyo-based holdings corporation that recently acquired rival Hitachi for more than $1 billion. Its portable, compact POCUS systems aim to expand use of the modality across clinical specialties with cost-conscious offerings, the company said in its announcement.
Marty Stempniak has covered healthcare since 2012, with his byline appearing in the American Hospital Association's member magazine, Modern Healthcare and McKnight's. Prior to that, he wrote about village government and local business for his hometown newspaper in Oak Park, Illinois. He won a Peter Lisagor and Gold EXCEL awards in 2017 for his coverage of the opioid epidemic.