SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
FORM 8-K
CURRENT REPORT
Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934
June 14, 1999
Mallinckrodt Inc.
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
New York 1-483 36-1263901
(State or other jurisdiction (Commission (I.R.S. Employer
of incorporation) File Number) Identification No.)
675 McDonnell Boulevard, St. Louis, MO 63134
(Address of principal executive offices) (ZIP Code)
Registrant's telephone number, (314) 654-2000
including area code
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Item 5. Other Events
A press release was issued June 14, 1999. The relevant portion of the
text of that release was as follows:
(*) Indicates registered trademark
MALLINCKRODT PLANS VIGOROUS PURSUIT OF PATIENT WARMING BUSINESS
FOLLOWING VICTORY IN PATENT LITIGATION APPEAL
ST. LOUIS, Missouri, June 14, 1999 - Mallinckrodt Inc. (NYSE:MKG) said
today that it will launch a new sales and marketing program to
significantly expand its WarmTouch(*) patient warming business in the
United States following a ruling in Mallinckrodt's favor last week by
a Federal Circuit Court of Appeals. The appeals court decision
overturns a 1997 federal district court ruling in a patent
infringement case that was filed against Mallinckrodt approximately
five years ago.
"Now that the court has ruled that we did not infringe the
patents of Augustine Medical, we will pursue our warming blanket
business even more vigorously than in the past," said John Q.
Hesemann, president of Mallinckrodt's Respiratory Group.
"This is not only a major win for Mallinckrodt, it is a win for
patients who benefit from warming therapy during and after surgery,"
Hesemann added. "That's why we have persisted through the appeals
process and were encouraged when the federal appeals court stayed an
injunction in 1997, making it possible for us to continue selling our
blankets until the case could be resolved."
Earlier this year, a District Court in the Netherlands ruled in
Mallinckrodt's favor in a patent infringement case Augustine had filed
in Europe.
Mallinckrodt's WarmTouch blankets connect to blowers that fill
the blankets with warm air. This creates a warming system that helps
control patient body temperatures. Medical research has demonstrated
patient benefits from such warming, including improved post-surgical
recovery time.
Mallinckrodt introduced its line of patient warming blankets in
the early nineties. The company is a market leader in temperature
management products in addition to other critical care products,
including endotracheal and tracheostomy tubes and other airway
management systems.
Based in St. Louis, Missouri, Mallinckrodt Inc. has three
healthcare product groups Imaging, Pharmaceutical and Respiratory.
The company operates in more than 100 countries and had fiscal 1998
net sales of $2.4 billion. The Mallinckrodt web site address is
www.mallinckrodt.com.
# # #
Mallinckrodt Inc.
/s/Roger A. Keller
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ROGER A. KELLER
Vice President, Secretary
and General Counsel
DATE: June 17, 1999
