A German court ordered Siemens to recall and destroy its MAMMOMAT B.brilliant systems across three European countries.
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Hologic wins patent ruling blocking Siemens mammography sales in 3 EU nations
A German court ordered Siemens to recall and destroy its MAMMOMAT B.brilliant systems across three European countries.
Hologic Inc. secured a sweeping injunction from Europe's Unified Patent Court that bars Siemens Healthineers from selling its latest mammography system in Germany, France and the Netherlands, removing a direct competitor from three of the region's largest medical imaging markets.
"This ruling is a decisive validation of the strength and originality of Hologic's innovation — and, more importantly, of the standards we believe women deserve in breast cancer screening," Essex Mitchell, chief operating officer at Hologic, said.
The UPC determined on June 10 that Siemens infringed European Patent EP 2 352 431, which covers Hologic's Focusing Technology used in its Envision Platform, the first FDA-approved mammography innovation of its kind. The court ordered Siemens to recall and destroy all affected MAMMOMAT B.brilliant systems in the three countries, refund customers for purchase prices and reimburse logistics costs. Hologic will also receive retroactive and future damages to be determined by the court.
The ruling removes Siemens' newest mammography platform from markets representing a significant share of European breast cancer screening. Siemens must now either redesign its system to avoid the patent or negotiate a licensing deal with Hologic, while Hologic strengthens its competitive position in a global breast cancer detection market valued at more than $3 billion annually.
The decision marks one of the strongest enforcement actions by the UPC since its launch, signaling that Europe's unified patent system will aggressively protect medical device intellectual property. For Siemens, the MAMMOMAT B.brilliant was its flagship digital mammography system designed to compete directly with Hologic's 3D imaging technology. The recall and destruction order represents not just lost revenue but a setback in Siemens' broader women's health strategy.
Hologic shares are likely to benefit as the company consolidates its position in European breast cancer screening. The company's Envision Platform, which received FDA approval in 2024, competes with systems from GE HealthCare and Fujifilm in addition to Siemens. GE HealthCare's Senographe Pristina and Fujifilm's Amulet Innovality remain available in the affected markets, giving hospitals alternative vendors while Siemens is sidelined.
This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute investment advice.
