SonoSite Files Patent Infringement Lawsuit Against GE

SonoSite Files Patent Infringement Lawsuit Against GE

SonoSite, Inc. (Nasdaq:SONO), the world leader in hand carried ultrasound, announced it is filing today a patent infringement lawsuit against General Electric Company (GE) and certain of its affiliates in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Wisconsin. The complaint is filed as a counterclaim to the complaint GE and its affiliates filed against SonoSite on May 15, 2007 in the same court. In parallel, SonoSite is filing its answer to the complaint denying all of GE’s claims and alleging that the asserted patents are either invalid, not infringed, or both.

In its counterclaim complaint, SonoSite asserts that GE and its affiliated companies infringe SonoSite’s U.S. Patent Nos. 6,569,101, “Medical Diagnostic Instrument with ECG Module, Authorization Mechanism and Methods of Use,” and 5,817,024, “Handheld Ultrasonic Diagnostic Instrument with Digital Beamformer,” through their sales of ultrasound products, including GE’s compact ultrasound systems. SonoSite’s patents cover various core ultrasound related technologies. The complaint seeks unspecified monetary damages and a court injunction against future infringement by GE and its affiliates.

“After conducting a review, we believe that GE’s claims of patent infringement are without merit,” said Kevin M. Goodwin, SonoSite President and CEO. “Further, we believe that GE’s ultrasound systems, including its recently introduced compact products, are infringing SonoSite patents on key, fundamental ultrasound innovations. We intend to vigorously assert our rights.”

About SonoSite

SonoSite, Inc. (www.sonosite.com) is the innovator and worldwide leader in hand-carried ultrasound. Headquartered near Seattle, the company is represented by eight subsidiaries and a global distribution network in over 90 countries. SonoSite’s small, lightweight systems are expanding the use of ultrasound across the clinical spectrum by cost-effectively bringing high performance ultrasound to the point of patient care. The company employs over 550 people worldwide.