Sight Sciences has secured a $34 million patent infringement victory against Alcon after a U.S. District Court upheld a jury verdict in a long-running intellectual property dispute between the two medical technology companies.
The U.S. District Court for the District of Delaware issued an order on post-trial motions, preserving a 2024 jury verdict that found Alcon willfully infringed three patents owned by Menlo Park, California-based Sight Sciences. The lawsuit was originally filed in 2021.
The dispute centered on Alcon’s Hydrus Microstent, a microinvasive glaucoma surgery (MIGS) device used to treat open-angle glaucoma. Alcon acquired the Hydrus technology through its purchase of Ivantis. Sight Sciences, meanwhile, develops the Omni implant-free MIGS system, which enables an implant-free procedure designed to restore aqueous outflow in patients with glaucoma.
In April 2024, a jury determined that Alcon willfully infringed Sight Sciences’ patents and awarded $34 million in damages. The court’s latest ruling preserves that award and grants additional relief.
According to Sight Sciences, the court upheld the damages, added supplemental damages and interest, and awarded an ongoing royalty of 10% of Hydrus revenue through November 10, 2028. The company expects a final judgment in the coming months, subject to a potential appeal by Alcon.
Paul Badawi, co-founder and chief executive officer of Sight Sciences, welcomed the decision and emphasized the importance of protecting the company’s intellectual property.
“We are pleased with the results of the ruling and the recognition of our strong intellectual property portfolio in interventional glaucoma,” Badawi said. “We believe safeguarding our intellectual property… is critical. It allows us to continue investing in our pipeline of additional interventional innovations with the goal of further elevating the standard of care.”
The ruling marks a significant development in the competitive glaucoma treatment market and underscores the growing importance of intellectual property protection in the medical device industry.
