Exhibit 99.2
F O R I M M E D I A T E R E L E A S E
MEDTRONIC RESPONDS TO RULING IN JOHNSON & JOHNSON/CORDIS VS. MEDTRONIC AVE CASE
MINNEAPOLIS, MN, November 21, 2000 - Medtronic, Inc. (NYSE: MDT) today issued
the following statement in response to today's ruling in the Johnson &
Johnson/Cordis vs. Medtronic AVE case:
Medtronic is surprised and disappointed that a Delaware jury has ruled in favor
of Johnson & Johnson/Cordis in a longstanding patent suit filed against Arterial
Vascular Engineering, Inc. However, it's important to note that the products
named in this suit - the GFX, GFX2 and Microstent - are obsolete and no longer
marketed. This decision will have no immediate impact on the products currently
sold in the market. We are fully confident in the merits of our case and will
aggressively pursue legal options.
Medtronic, Inc., headquartered in Minneapolis, is the world's leading
medical technology company, providing lifelong solutions for people with chronic
disease. Its Internet address is www.medtronic.com.
