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March 8, 2012: Zecotek Patent Lawsuit PET scanners: Briefly, this is how a PET scan systems works: A patient is injected with a slightly radioactive isotope bonded with glucose that travel through the patient's body. The resulting collisions of electrons and positrons in the patient's body create low-level photon emissions (gamma rays) that are picked up the sensitive crystals in the PET scanner and cause them to scintillate (flash) for fractions of a second (not visible to the naked eye). These light flashes are picked up by sensitive photodetectors that amplify the light inputs and produce electrical signals that are then interpreted by software as images. PET manufacturers: The market for PET imaging systems is dominated almost entirely by three companies: Siemens Medical Solutions, Philips Medical Systems and GE Healthcare. The crystals (along with photo-detectors) are the key technology components in a PET scanner and the performance of the crystals has a direct effect on the quality and accuracy of the images. As the court noted in its judgment, Siemens and Philips are considered to be the two key players in the high-end of the market, providing detail and accuracy not available from GE's systems which are based on a different non-lutetium crystal. Zecotek background: Zecotek Photonics Inc. was founded in 2003 by Dr. Faouzi Zerrouk, who received his PhD in Theoretical Physics from the University of Sussex and held research and teaching positions at Oxford University and elsewhere. In the 1990's he began developing relationships with leading Russian physicists under a British-Russian exchange program as the old Soviet system was collapsing. These included crystal experts (members of the Russian Academy of Scientists) as well as scientists developing silicon photodetectors used to detect the weak flashes emitted by the crystals. Zecotek holds 55 patents in several areas including 3D display systems that don't require glasses and specialized fibre lasers. But perhaps its largest effort over the years has been its attempt to develop and commercialize its leading-edge technologies for medical imaging through which it planned to become a supplier to the industry. Its technologies had been recognized by many of the leading researchers in the industry. In 2009, Zecotek received a Frost and Sullivan award for Best Enabling Technology for its LFS (Lutetium Fine Silicate) crystals and photodetectors for medical imaging and in particular PET, PET/CT and PET/MRI. Zecotek is no mere patent troll but has invested millions in trying to develop its medical imaging technology business. It recently formed a manufacturing partnership with Beijing Opto-Electronics Technology Co. Ltd., (a co-plaintiff in Zecotek's lawsuit) for large-scale production of its LFS crystals. (Zecotek's crystals contain lutetium, an expensive rare earth element, found primarily in China). The company also recently announced a relationship with NuCare, a South Korean medical imaging manufacturer, to produce PET scanners. Zecotek claims that tests conducted by the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN) show its LFS-8 crystals to be the fastest and brightest scintillation crystals based on lutetium oxide material. Another version LFS-3, Zecotek considers optimal for PET imaging and it has produced modules combining these with its proprietary MAPD photodetectors. Basis for awards in patent law: Damages for patent claims can encompass both reasonable royalties (i.e. what a patent holder might have received under license), profit sharing from revenues through subcontract manufacturing and sales as well as lost profits (the cost of lost business opportunities to the plaintiff).
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March 8, 2012: Zecotek Patent Lawsuit In addition, if patent violation is deemed to be wilful, there are grounds to seek treble damages (up to three times reasonable royalties and lost profits) or multiples of the original award. Evidence on these points will come out in the court case. We think it likely that Zecotek and its technologies were wellknown to both Saint-Gobain and Philips. We believe Zecotek had discussions with both companies over the past decade, perhaps with the intention of entering into some kind of licensing, partnership or sale agreement. In the end, no such agreements were made and Zecotek's stock price has floundered over the past few years. Doctrine of equivalence: The key issue in the Zecotek lawsuit is the chemical composition of the crystals: Siemens, Saint-Gobain and Zecotek all produce crystals based on lutetium silicates. A basic idea in patent law is that minor modifications will not allow you to circumvent a patent. Siemens produces a patented crystal called LSO (cerium-activated lutetium oxyorthosilicate). Saint-Gobain produced a scintillation crystal called LYSO (cerium-doped lutetium yttrium orthosilicate). The two are roughly equivalent except that in Saint-Gobain's version 10% of the lutetium atoms are replaced with yttrium atoms. Saint-Gobain had argued that because it had its own patent, the doctrine of equivalence was insufficient to establish infringement, an argument rejected by both the district court and the Federal Appeals Court. The Siemens vs. Saint-Gobain case was being watched closely in the patent law profession and was upheld in the US Supreme Court in May 2012: http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-05-29/saint-gobain-rebuffed-by-top-u-s-court-on-siemenspatent.html Basis for Siemens award: The judge in the 2008 jury trial awarded damages of $44.94 million to Siemens based on the sale of crystals to Philips for 61 machines, including estimation of lost profits to Siemens. That's $737,000 per machine. The Federal Appeals judge upheld the earlier ruling and went on to increase the damages awarded to include an additional 18 machines for which crystals were sold by Saint-Gobain. Philips and Saint-Gobain: Since the 2008 judgment, Philips has continued to produce its high-end PET/CT machines. In a press release dated June 6, 2011, announcing the launch of its Truflight Select Astonish PET/CT line, Philips mentions that 260 of its Gemini TF Pet/CT systems have been installed worldwide since 2006 (the year Zecotek's patent was granted). We believe that all these systems use Saint-Gobain's crystals. The Siemens patent expired in 2009. Filings from the US Patent Office indicate that a renewed patent application for LSO crystals filed by Siemens in 2010 was rejected primarily because of prior art established by the Zecotek patent in 2006. It is not unreasonable to estimate an additional 40 Philips PET/CT scanners sold since last year's press release, bringing the total units to 300. Assuming the same $737,000 per machine would bring the total award to $221 million. Zecotek might also be able to claim the loss in stock value due to loss of opportunity, loss of opportunity to advertise sales and win other deals with customers such as GE, for similar number of PET systems etc. And there are grounds for claiming increased damages and court costs on the grounds of deliberate patent violation. So the potential award could range from $200 to $300 million, assuming Zecotek's patent rights are recognized by the court, as we believe they will be. Although the case could take 2 years to wind its way through the courts, we think that a possible settlement could be reached earlier. At the current price ($39 million market cap at current time) we think 3|P a ge
March 8, 2012: Zecotek Patent Lawsuit Zecoteks stock is an attractive speculation based on the lawsuit alone. We have not taken into account its other business opportunities such as 3D display systems (without glasses) and the potential to supply its crystals and photodetectors to CERN for detecting nuclear collisions (the latter business potentially worth over $100 million at high margin).
Disclaimer: The views presented in this report are the opinion of AlphaEdge Inc. and no other entity. The views contained here may not
represent the views of Zecotek Photonics Inc. and its related entities, its management or legal advisors. The information contained in this report is drawn from sources believed to be reliable, but the accuracy or completeness of the information and opinions expressed is not guaranteed, nor in providing it does AlphaEdge Inc. assume any responsibility of liability. Patent law and litigation are complex areas and AlphaEdge Inc. claims no legal qualifications in the field. This report is not to be construed as an offer to sell nor the solicitation of an offer to buy any securities. AlphaEdge Inc. and its principal shareholder hold shares of Zecotek.
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