Sight Sciences (Nasdaq:SGHT) announced today that it received a jury trial verdict awarding it $34 million from a patent infringement case against Alcon.
The company filed the case on Sept. 16, 2021, against Alcon, Alcon Vision, Alcon Research and Ivantis (collectively Alcon) in the U.S. Menlo Park, California-based Sight Sciences asserted that Alcon’s sale of the Hydrus Microstent infringed three key patents.
Alcon developed the Hydrus Microstent as a microinvasive glaucoma surgery (MIGS) device. Roughly the size of an eyelash, the canal-based nitinol device treats open-angle glaucoma. Sight Sciences develops the Omni implant-free MIGS system.
Following a five-day trial, the jury found that Alcon willfully infringed on the three patents, according to a news release. The verdict, handed down on April 26, awarded monetary damages for the infringements. Damages include $5.5 million in lost profits and $28.5 million in royalty damages for sales of the Hydrus Microstent.
Sight Sciences says the judge didn’t rule on the potential enhancement of damages associated with the willfulness verdict or other remedies. The verdict remains subject to appeal.
“Given the substantial investments we have made in our surgical innovations on behalf of our surgeon customers and glaucoma patients, we believe safeguarding our intellectual property portfolio is paramount, and we are pleased with the jury’s verdict,” said Paul Badawi, co-founder and CEO of Sight Sciences. “Our attention remains steadfast on equipping eye care providers with efficacious technologies and executing on our long-term growth strategy in surgical glaucoma and dry eye disease.”