Pall has brought the action against Florida-based BioQuate, claiming that its disposable aseptic connector device infringes on a patent covering Pall's Kleenpak aseptic connector range.
The company is seeking damages from BioQuate, as well as an injunction preventing the firm from continuing the sale of their connector product.
BioQuate is a relatively new company, having been formed in 2001 and spending a number of years developing its product portfolio.
The connector product Pall is questioning has been available for several years and is BioQuate's main product together with the clamp that is offered alongside the device.
Multinational firm Pall is a major provider of disposable filters and separation systems to pharmaceutical and biotechnology firms for the development and commercialization of drugs and vaccines.
"The Kleenpak device is an important and growing product for us," a Pall spokesperson told In-PharmaTechnologist.com.
"We've been championing these disposable products for quite some time and the devices are protected by several patents - BioQuate appears to have overlooked these."
The single-use connector product that the company is seeking to protect is sold by the company's Biopharmaceutical division, which contributed around $352m (€264m) to the company's 2006 revenue of $2bn.
According to the company, the half-inch Kleenpak connector revolutionised the aseptic connection process by reducing connection times from 15 minutes down to a matter of seconds.
In a statement the company said its Kleenpak product "has been established as the leading aseptic connection device" and plans to vigorously defend what it sees as an unacceptable breach of its intellectual property.
BioQuate was unable to comment at time of going to press.
The Kleenpak connector is used for the dry connection of two pre-sterilized fluid pathways, and can be applied for use in transfer of inocula to reactors, sampling during fermentation, and handling of bulk materials in a non-sterile environment among other functions.
Pall yesterday also announced two additions to the Kleenpak range, with two new sizes of 1/
4inch and 3/
8inch. The company believes this product range expansion will offer greater flexibility to its customers, particularly in vaccine manufacture which involves a greater number of connection steps.
By offering a wide range of disposable, aseptic connectors Pall aims to present a safer option for manufacturers with reduced risk of cross-contamination and no need for cleaning validation, as well as saving companies time and money by using the disposable devices.
As the patent infringement suit being filed by Pall refers to patents regarding all Kleenpak products, these new devices will also be covered as part of the Kleenpak range.
The announcement of the new connectors coincides with the World Vaccine Congress taking place this week in Washington, where the new products will be on display.
