I believe PLSIA had already reviewed these patents earlier in the year:
Premier Laser statement regarding recent comments on patents for FDA-cleared dental laser
May 19, 1997, IRVINE, Calif--Premier Laser Systems Inc. (NASDAQ NM:PLSIA) said Monday that it is confident that its Centauri
Er:YAG, recently cleared by the FDA for dental hard-tissue applications, does not infringe any valid patents that may be held by
disgruntled competitor American Dental Technologies Inc. (ADT), and will defend its position vigorously in court if necessary.
ADT circulated a press release on May 16 that commented on ADT's recent stock performance; that press release stated that ADT
owns some basic patents on the Er:YAG laser in dentistry. According to a statement by Premier Laser Chairman, President and Chief
Executive Officer, Colette Cozean, Ph.D., Premier, in conjunction with its patent counsel, has evaluated the patents of ADT that it
believes to be relevant.
Cozean said that Premier Laser's own patent position is solid, stemming from its innovative research with Er:YAG lasers beginning in
1986. The company holds patents on the use of Erbium with water on hard tissues and on higher frequency Er:YAG laser systems,
both of which accelerate the cavity preparation procedure. Other patents include fiber delivery of high energies with Er:YAG, fiber
delivery systems and tip designs, and the use of a laser and aiming beam focused on target tissue.
Cozean commented: "It is our policy to respect the patent rights of others, including ADT. We trust that ADT will respect our rights
as well. ADT is obviously upset with our success and may be concerned that Centauri is likely to replace their own KCP air abrasive
systems in many dental practices. Dentists have cited numerous safety and efficacy issues with KCP where the laser is clearly a better
choice. Clinicians experienced with both systems find that Centauri precisely removes tissues, while the KCP air abrasive can cut with
reflected particles into adjacent healthy structures or underneath the caries (decay) where the dentist has no direct vision.
"ADT had an adverse experience with dental lasers a few years back -- as many dentists will attest -- and effectively withdrew from
the dental laser market. Now that Centauri is cleared to market and the public is demanding laser care, it looks as though they are
regretting their unceremonious retreat. They are not the only laser company that has tried to piggyback on our recent successes and
our increasing public awareness, and we suspect they will not be the last. The fact that we have the only hard- tissue laser cleared to
market in the United States obviously rankles some companies that have chosen different technologies, and some of them react in
press releases instead of competing head-to-head in the marketplace. If ADT wants to sell dental lasers, they should enter clinicals
with Er:YAG and submit their results to the FDA for impartial consideration.
"We are confident of our position, and we are confident that the American public will continue to demand virtually painless laser
dentistry -- which is synonymous with Premier Laser's Centauri Er:YAG."
(Still long PLSIA)
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