Shanghai-based clear-aligner producer Angelalign Know-how Inc. (6699.HK) has categorically denied claims of patent infringement introduced by California-based Align Know-how Inc., pledging defence in a assertion on Wednesday.
“Angel has a wealthy heritage of clinically pushed innovation throughout its 20-plus-year historical past. Accusations by our competitor of patent violations are frivolous and completely with out advantage,” mentioned Angelalign’s senior vice-president and chief business officer Wealthy Hirschland. “Angel has invested closely in patent compliance since our founding. We’re assured that we’ll prevail on this case.”
Angelalign additionally says that it has delivered 1.5 million clear-aligner “smiles” since its founding in 2003. The corporate went public on the Hong Kong Inventory Alternate in 2021 and launched a world growth technique in 2023, now serving over 50 nations and areas.
Hirschland added that the litigation will not be anticipated to materially have an effect on Angelalign’s progress. “We anticipate that our progress won’t be materially affected by the lawsuits. We stay up for utilizing the lawsuits to inform the Angel success story and assist appeal to extra prospects to Angel world wide.”
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‘We welcome truthful competitors’
In the meantime, Align Know-how mentioned on Monday that it had filed patent-infringement lawsuits in opposition to Angelalign in the US, Europe and China, alleging infringements referring to multilayer aligner supplies, treatment-planning software program and superior aligner options. The corporate is searching for each injunctive reduction and financial damages.
“We welcome truthful and modern competitors. However we are going to shield our personal improvements when firms select to infringe our years of exhausting work and funding as an alternative of legitimately performing analysis and growth of their very own,” Julie Coletti, Align’s government vice-president and chief authorized and regulatory officer, affirmed the corporate’s open stance on competitors.
“The patents we’re asserting signify necessary parts of our broad mental property portfolio and mirror key improvements in clear-aligner remedy,” she added.
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Align’s $300M annual analysis funding
Align additionally disclosed that it invests over US $300 million yearly in analysis and growth — and has invested roughly US $2 billion since 2001 — underscoring its dedication to innovation. “It’s an unrivalled stage of funding that reveals clearly our unwavering dedication to our prospects and their sufferers,” mentioned Coletti.
The corporate mentioned its operations span the Americas, EMEA (Europe, Center East and Africa) and APAC (Asia-Pacific). Its international scientific treatment-planning centres embody services in Costa Rica, Poland, Chengdu (China), Spain, France, Germany and Japan, whereas its manufacturing hubs are in Juárez (Mexico), Wroclaw (Poland) and Ziyang (China) — constituting the spine of the world’s largest 3D-printing community for dental aligners.