Lumenis, Trimedyne Settle Lawsuit

YOKNEAM, Israel, Dec. 17 -- Lumenis Ltd. and Trimedyne Inc. announced yesterday they settled litigation between them and have agreed to a long-term commercial arrangement covering the manufacture by Trimedyne and sale by Lumenis of certain side fire and angle fire fibers used with Lumenis lasers, particularly in orthopedics, urology and spinal surgery. The settlement includes other confidential terms.

Lumenis said the arrangement will enable it to enter the market for side-firing laser devices for use in spinal treatments.

Trimedyne, which is based in Irvine, Calif., makes surgical lasers and disposable and reusable fiber optic devices used in surgery. It filed claims against Lumenis in February 2003 in US District Court, Central District of California, in Los Angeles for alleged patent infringement, trade libel and other charges.

Trimedyne's side-firing laser needles, which are a twelfth of an inch in diameter, are used in the outpatient treatment of herniated or ruptured lumbar discs in the spine. Lumenis makes laser and intense-pulsed light devices for aesthetic, ophthalmic, surgical and dental applications.

For more information, visit: www.lumenis.com