May 10, 2013
Contact: Lisa Watkins
740.869.3377 ext. 106
WillowWood Remains Strong Despite Injunction Regarding Prosthetic Liners
Federal Judge Mary Scriven of the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida released decisions on May 9 pertaining to The Ohio Willow Wood Company in regards to a patent infringement case involving a gel formulation, which is no longer being manufactured, used in fabric-covered liners. WillowWood respectfully disagrees with the court’s ruling and the judge’s decisions and plans to file an appeal.
The decisions pertain to a monetary penalty and injunction against WillowWood selling fabric-covered products using a contested gel formulation. WillowWood transitioned to selling Alpha Liners and Sleeves containing Advanced Formulas of both Classic and Hybrid variants at the beginning of 2013. The Advanced Formulas, announced in December 2012, had been in development for two years and included more than 75 formulations being mechanically tested followed by the clinical testing of the most promising candidates. The Advanced Formulas were not the subject of the litigation.
WillowWood customers, both patient-care facilities and distributors, may continue to use and sell fabric-covered products including Alpha Liners they may have in stock that contain WillowWood’s products with previous gel formulations. Alpha Liners using the current Advanced Formulas in both Classic and Hybrid variants were not the subject of the litigation.
“While disheartened by Judge Scriven’s decisions, we will not lose sight of our mission to develop and deliver prosthetic products that improve the lives of amputees,” stated Ryan Arbogast, WillowWood President. “For more than 100 years, WillowWood has been a pioneer in new prosthetic products and enhancements. We are an industry leader because of our ethical and fair approach to business. WillowWood respects patents and will continue to honor the patents of others as well as enforcing its own patent rights when necessary.”
WillowWood, located in Mt. Sterling, Ohio, is an industry leader in the design, manufacturing, and distribution of prosthetic products, including the Alpha® family of liners, the Pathfinder® II foot, the LimbLogic® vacuum system, and the OMEGA® CAD system. For more information about WillowWood and its products, please call 1.800.848.4930 or explore the company’s website.