These 10 stories mattered the most for medtech in 2020

7. Bayer settles most Essure claims for $1.6B

Bayer announced in August that it has settled approximately 90% of the 39,000 U.S. claims involving women alleging injuries related to its Essure device. The settlement could be the final chapter in one of medtech’s worst failures over the past decade, featured in industry critiques including Netflix’s 2018 documentary The Bleeding Edge. Marketed as a permanent birth control device, Essure has not been available for implantation in the U.S. since December 2019, having had U.S. sales for the device discontinued in December 2018.

The Essure agreement was part of a host of legal settlements as corporate leaders decided it was better to resolve legal disputes rather than risk more money contesting them amid the COVID-19 pandemic and resulting recession.

Abbott and Edwards Lifesciences agreed in July to settle all outstanding patent disputes related to transcatheter mitral and tricuspid repair products, with Edwards paying Abbott $368 million. https://www.massdevice.com/breaking-abbott-edwards-settle-heart-device-patent-spats/

Also in July, Medtronic and Tandem Diabetes Care announced that they’d inked a non-exclusive, patent cross-license agreement related to diabetes treatment tech.The companies said the agreement will allow them to focus on innovation while avoiding the distraction of potential legal disagreements. – CN

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