PLEASANTON, Calif., May 14, 2012 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- ZELTIQ Aesthetics, Inc. (Nasdaq:ZLTQ), a medical technology company focused on developing and commercializing products utilizing its proprietary controlled-cooling technology platform, together with the Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH), announced that the Mercantile Court in Spain on May 4 ruled in their favor regarding the patent infringement lawsuit jointly filed in Spain against Clinipro and Aquaestetica, its Spanish distributor.
The lawsuit against Clinipro alleged infringement of two European patents owned by MGH and licensed exclusively to ZELTIQ. After hearing the petition, the Mercantile Court in Spain granted ZELTIQ's and MGH's request for a preliminary injunction against further importation, distribution and sales of Clinipro's LipoCryo device in Spain. Furthermore, the court order allows for the removal and seizure of all of Clinipro's LipoCryo systems in Spain.
Mark Foley, interim President and Chief Executive Officer of ZELTIQ, commented, "We are very pleased to announce this ruling. Our clear victory reinforces both the strength of our intellectual property rights and our efforts to defend these rights on a global basis. This is our second legal win internationally defending our IP in the past two months. We will immediately have these infringing systems removed from the market per the court's ruling. As we previously announced, we also have a lawsuit underway against Clinipro in France and we are optimistic for an equally favorable outcome."
Separately, the Company announced that it has secured removal and undertakings regarding three separate web site infringement matters against Beijing Smart Light, Joyful Tech Group, and Create Beauty Technology Group. In each case, the infringing companies have agreed to remove all content and materials from their web sites that violate ZELTIQ's intellectual property. ZELTIQ will continue to monitor these entities and others to protect and enforce its IP rights in China.
About ZELTIQ Aesthetics
ZELTIQ Aesthetics is a medical technology company focused on developing and commercializing products utilizing its proprietary controlled-cooling technology platform. The Company's first commercial product, the CoolSculpting System, is designed to selectively reduce stubborn fat bulges that may not respond to diet or exercise. CoolSculpting is based on the scientific principle that fat cells are more sensitive to cold than the overlying skin and surrounding tissues. CoolSculpting utilizes patented technology of precisely controlled cooling to reduce the temperature of fat cells in the treated area, which is intended to cause fat cell elimination through a natural biological process known as apoptosis, without causing scar tissue or damage to the skin, nerves, or surrounding tissues. ZELTIQ developed CoolSculpting to safely, noticeably, and measurably reduce the fat layer within a treated fat bulge without requiring the patient to diet or exercise.