throbber
Case 8:20-cv-00847-DOC-JDE Document 50 Filed 09/04/20 Page 1 of 13 Page ID #:486
`
`1
`
`2
`
`3
`
`4
`
`5
`
`6
`
`7
`
`8
`
`9
`
`10
`
`11
`
`12
`
`13
`
`14
`
`15
`
`16
`
`17
`
`18
`
`19
`
`20
`
`21
`
`22
`
`23
`
`24
`
`25
`
`26
`
`27
`
`28
`
`
`
`Mark D. Fowler (SBN 124235)
`mark.fowler@dlapiper.com
`DLA PIPER LLP (US)
`2000 University Avenue
`East Palo Alto, California 94303-2250
`T: (650) 833-2000 | F: (650) 833-2001
`
`Kathryn Riley Grasso (SBN 211187)
`kathryn.riley@dlapiper.com
`DLA PIPER LLP (US)
`401 B Street, Suite 1700
`San Diego, CA 92101
`T: (619) 699-2700 | F: (619) 699-2701
`
`Martin M. Ellison (SBN 292060)
`martin.ellison@dlapiper.com
`DLA PIPER LLP (US)
`2000 Avenue of the Stars, Suite 400, N. Tower
`Los Angeles, CA 90067
`T: (310) 595-3000 | F: (310) 595-3300
`
`Attorneys for Defendant
`Medtronic CoreValve LLC
`
`
`UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
`
`CENTRAL DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA
`
`
`Colibri Heart Valve, LLC,
`
`
`Plaintiff,
`
`
`v.
`
`Medtronic CoreValve LLC,
`
`
`Defendant.
`
`
`
`
`
`
`Case No. 8:20-cv-00847-DOC-JDE
`Hon. David O. Carter
`
`MEDTRONIC COREVALVE LLC’S
`NOTICE OF MOTION AND
`MOTION TO STAY LITIGATION
`PENDING INTER PARTES REVIEW
`
`Hearing Date: October 5, 2020
`Time:
`8:30 a.m. PT
`Room: 9D
`
`NO ORAL ARGUMENT UNLESS
`REQUESTED BY THE COURT
`
`
`
`
`Colibri Heart Valve LLC, Exhibit 2008, Page 1 of 13
`
`

`

`Case 8:20-cv-00847-DOC-JDE Document 50 Filed 09/04/20 Page 2 of 13 Page ID #:487
`
`
`
`1
`
`2
`
`3
`
`4
`
`5
`
`6
`
`7
`
`8
`
`9
`
`NOTICE OF MOTION
`
`To the Court and all parties and their respective attorneys of record:
`
`Please take notice that at the above time and place, Defendant Medtronic
`
`CoreValve LLC (“Medtronic”) will and hereby does move for an order to stay this
`
`litigation pending the outcome of Medtronic’s petitions for Inter Partes Review of
`
`the patents-in-suit. Medtronic makes this Motion on the grounds that (1) a stay
`
`pending IPR could resolve the entire case, or simplify the issues in the case, because
`
`the IPR petitions address every asserted claim of both asserted patents; (2)
`
`Medtronic has yet to file an answer to Plaintiff Colibri Heart Valve, LLC’s
`
`10
`
`(“Plaintiff”) First Amended Complaint (“FAC”); (3) a scheduling order has not
`
`11
`
`issued; (4) discovery has not commenced; and (5) Plaintiff will not be prejudiced by
`
`12
`
`a stay because it waited more than five months to serve Medtronic with a complaint
`
`13
`
`and failed to move for a preliminary injunction.
`
`14
`
`This Motion is based on this Notice of Motion, the Memorandum of Points
`
`15
`
`and Authorities attached hereto, the Declaration of Martin M. Ellison and
`
`16
`
`accompanying exhibits filed concurrently herewith, all materials incorporated or
`
`17
`
`relied upon in it, matters of which this Court may take judicial notice, and any and
`
`18
`
`all other materials that the Court deems proper to consider.
`
`19
`
`Because the present Motion is best addressed without a hearing (Fed. R. Civ.
`
`20
`
`P. 78 and C.D. Cal. R. 7-15), Medtronic waives oral argument on this matter unless
`
`21
`
`requested by the Court.
`
`22
`
`This Motion is made following the conference of counsel pursuant to L.R. 7-3
`
`23
`
`which took place on August 28, 2020.
`
`
`Dated: September 4, 2020
`
`
`24
`
`25
`
`26
`
`27
`
`28
`
`
`
`
`
`
`By: /s/ Martin M. Ellison
`
`
`
`Martin M. Ellison (SBN 292060)
`martin.ellison@dlapiper.com
`DLA PIPER LLP (US)
`2000 Avenue of the Stars
`
`1
`
`
`Notice of Motion by Medtronic CoreValve LLC
`to Stay Litigation Pending Inter Partes Review
`
`
`Colibri Heart Valve LLC, Exhibit 2008, Page 2 of 13
`
`

`

`Case 8:20-cv-00847-DOC-JDE Document 50 Filed 09/04/20 Page 3 of 13 Page ID #:488
`
`1
`
`2
`
`3
`
`4
`
`5
`
`6
`
`7
`
`8
`
`9
`
`10
`
`11
`
`12
`
`13
`
`14
`
`15
`
`16
`
`17
`
`18
`
`19
`
`20
`
`21
`
`22
`
`23
`
`24
`
`25
`
`26
`
`27
`
`28
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`Suite 400, North Tower
`Los Angeles, CA 90067
`T: (310) 595-3000 | F: (310) 595-3300
`
`Mark D. Fowler (SBN 124235)
`mark.fowler@dlapiper.com
`DLA PIPER LLP (US)
`2000 University Avenue
`East Palo Alto, California 94303-2250
`T: (650) 833-2000 | F: (650) 833-2001
`
`Kathryn Riley Grasso (SBN 211187)
`kathryn.riley@dlapiper.com
`DLA PIPER LLP (US)
`401 B Street, Suite 1700
`San Diego, CA 92101
`T: (619) 699-2700 | F: (619) 699-2701
`
`
`
`2
`
`
`Notice of Motion by Medtronic CoreValve LLC
`to Stay Litigation Pending Inter Partes Review
`
`
`Colibri Heart Valve LLC, Exhibit 2008, Page 3 of 13
`
`

`

`Case 8:20-cv-00847-DOC-JDE Document 50 Filed 09/04/20 Page 4 of 13 Page ID #:489
`
`
`
`1
`
`2
`
`3
`
`4
`
`5
`
`6
`
`7
`
`8
`
`9
`
`10
`
`11
`
`12
`
`13
`
`14
`
`TABLE OF CONTENTS
`
`Page
`
`I.
`
`INTRODUCTION .......................................................................................... 1
`
`II. NATURE AND STAGE OF PROCEEDING ................................................ 1
`
`III. STATEMENT OF FACTS ............................................................................. 2
`
`A.
`
`B.
`
`The Asserted Patents and the Accused Products ................................. 2
`
`The IPR Petitions ................................................................................. 2
`
`IV. LEGAL STANDARD .................................................................................... 2
`
`V. DISCUSSION................................................................................................. 3
`
`A.
`
`B.
`
`C.
`
`The Case Is in Its Infancy .................................................................... 3
`
`The IPR Proceedings Could Entirely Resolve this Litigation, and
`at a Minimum Will Reduce the Burden on the Parties and the
`Court ..................................................................................................... 4
`
`Plaintiff, Having Itself Already Invited Significant Delay, Will
`Suffer No Prejudice .............................................................................. 5
`
`15
`
`VI. CONCLUSION .............................................................................................. 7
`
`16
`
`17
`
`18
`
`19
`
`20
`
`21
`
`22
`
`23
`
`24
`
`25
`
`26
`
`27
`
`28
`
`
`
`
`
`
`EAST\175187517.2
`
`i
`
`
`Table of Contents
`
`
`Colibri Heart Valve LLC, Exhibit 2008, Page 4 of 13
`
`

`

`Case 8:20-cv-00847-DOC-JDE Document 50 Filed 09/04/20 Page 5 of 13 Page ID #:490
`
`1
`
`2
`
`3
`
`4
`
`5
`
`6
`
`7
`
`8
`
`9
`
`10
`
`11
`
`12
`
`13
`
`14
`
`15
`
`16
`
`17
`
`18
`
`19
`
`20
`
`21
`
`22
`
`23
`
`24
`
`25
`
`26
`
`27
`
`28
`
`
`
`CASES
`
`TABLE OF AUTHORITIES
`
`Page(s)
`
`Autoalert, Inc. v. Dominion Dealer Sols., LLC,
`No. SACV 12-1661-JST, 2013 WL 8014977 (C.D. Cal. May 22, 2013) .............. 5
`
`Ethicon, Inc. v. Quigg,
`849 F.2d 1422 (Fed. Cir. 1988) .............................................................................. 2
`
`Gould v. Control Laser Corp.,
`705 F.2d 1340 (Fed. Cir. 1983) .............................................................................. 2
`
`In re Cygnus Telecomms. Tech., LLC, Patent Litig.,
`385 F. Supp. 2d 1022 (N.D. Cal. 2005) .................................................................. 2
`
`Karl Storz Endoscopy-America, Inc. v. Stryker Corp.,
`No. 14-cv-00876-RS (N.D.Cal. Mar. 30, 2015) ..................................................... 6
`
`Limestone v. Micron Tech.,
`No. SA CV 15-00278-DOC (RNBx),
`2016 WL 3598109 (C.D. Cal. Jan. 12, 2016) ..................................................... 3, 4
`
`Matthews v. Nat’l Football League Mgmt. Council,
`688 F.3d 1107 (9th Cir. 2012) ............................................................................... 6
`
`Medtronic, Inc., et al. v. Axonics Modulation Techs., Inc.,
`No. SA-CV-1902115-DOC-JDE,
`2020 WL 5087820 (C.D. Cal. May 8, 2020) .......................................................... 4
`
`PersonalWeb Techs., LLC v. Apple Inc.,
`69 F. Supp. 3d 1022 (N.D. Cal. 2014) .................................................................... 5
`
`Polaris Innovations Ltd. v. Kingston Tech. Co., Inc.,
`No. 8:16-cv-00300-CJC-RAO,
`2016 WL 7496740 (C.D. Cal. Nov. 17, 2016) ....................................................... 3
`
`Semiconductor Energy Lab. Co., Ltd. v. Chimei Innolux Corp.,
`No. SA CV 12-21-JST,
`2012 WL 7170593 (C.D. Cal. Dec. 19, 2012)........................................................ 3
`
`Universal Elecs., Inc. v. Universal Remote Control, Inc.,
`943 F. Supp. 2d 1028 (C.D. Cal. 2013) .................................................................. 3
`
`
`
`
`
`i
`
`
`Table of Authorities
`
`
`Colibri Heart Valve LLC, Exhibit 2008, Page 5 of 13
`
`

`

`Case 8:20-cv-00847-DOC-JDE Document 50 Filed 09/04/20 Page 6 of 13 Page ID #:491
`
`
`
`1
`
`2
`
`3
`
`4
`
`5
`
`6
`
`7
`
`8
`
`9
`
`10
`
`11
`
`12
`
`13
`
`14
`
`15
`
`16
`
`17
`
`18
`
`19
`
`20
`
`21
`
`22
`
`23
`
`24
`
`25
`
`26
`
`27
`
`28
`
`VirtualAgility Inc. v. Salesforce.com, Inc.,
`759 F.3d 1307 (Fed. Cir. 2014) .............................................................................. 5
`
`Wonderland Nursery Goods Co. v. Baby Trend, Inc.,
`No. EDCV 14-01153 VAP (SPx),
`2015 WL 1809309 (C.D. Cal. Apr. 20, 2015) ....................................................... 4
`
`STATUTES
`
`35 U.S.C. § 314(b) ....................................................................................................... 2
`
`35 U.S.C. § 315(e)(2) .................................................................................................. 4
`
`OTHER AUTHORITIES
`
`37 C.F.R. § 42.107(b) .................................................................................................. 2
`
`Fed. R. Civ. P., Rule 26 ........................................................................................... 2, 4
`
`Colibri Heart Valve LLC v. Medtronic CoreValve LLC et al.,
`Case No. 8:19-cv-02351-DOC-JDE, ECF 1 (Dec. 5, 2019) .................................. 1
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`ii
`
`
`Table of Authorities
`
`
`Colibri Heart Valve LLC, Exhibit 2008, Page 6 of 13
`
`

`

`Case 8:20-cv-00847-DOC-JDE Document 50 Filed 09/04/20 Page 7 of 13 Page ID #:492
`
`
`
`1
`
`2
`
`3
`
`4
`
`5
`
`6
`
`7
`
`8
`
`9
`
`MEMORANDUM OF POINTS AND AUTHORITIES
`
`I.
`
`INTRODUCTION
`
`Medtronic filed two petitions for inter partes review (“IPR”) with the Patent
`
`Trial and Appeal Board (“PTAB”) on September 2, 2020, and now respectfully
`
`requests that the Court stay this litigation pending the outcomes of those petitions.
`
`The IPR petitions address every claim of the two patents-in-suit, U.S. Patent Nos.
`
`8,900,294 and 9,125,739 (“the ’294 patent” and “the ’739 patent,” respectively).
`
`Thus, a decision by the PTAB that invalidates the patents-in-suit will resolve
`
`Plaintiff’s lawsuit against Medtronic in its entirety, and at a minimum greatly
`
`10
`
`simplify the issues that will ultimately go to a jury. Moreover, the case is at a very
`
`11
`
`early stage. Indeed, Medtronic has not answered Plaintiff’s First Amended
`
`12
`
`Complaint (“FAC”), discovery has not commenced, and a scheduling order has not
`
`13
`
`issued. Finally, Plaintiff—having delayed the start of this action by more than five
`
`14
`
`months and having not moved for a preliminary injunction—will not be prejudiced
`
`15
`
`by a stay pending IPR.
`
`16
`
`Medtronic therefore respectfully requests that this litigation be stayed.
`
`17
`
`II. NATURE AND STAGE OF PROCEEDING
`
`18
`
`Despite filing a complaint on December 5, 2019, Plaintiff never served it.
`
`19
`
`(See Colibri Heart Valve LLC v. Medtronic CoreValve LLC et al., Case No. 8:19-
`
`20
`
`cv-02351-DOC-JDE, ECF 1.) Instead, Plaintiff waited five months and on May 4,
`
`21
`
`2020, dismissed the case without prejudice (id. at ECF 18) and filed the instant
`
`22
`
`lawsuit the same day.1 (See ECF 1.) Then, after being confronted with the
`
`23
`
`deficiencies in the original complaint, Plaintiff filed its FAC on June 12, 2020.
`
`24
`
`(ECF 30.) Medtronic moved to dismiss the deficient FAC on July 17, 2020 (ECF
`
`25
`
`38), and the hearing on Medtronic’s Motion is set for September 14, 2020, the same
`
`26
`
`27
`
`28
`
`
`1 The May 4, 2020 complaint is identical to the December 5, 2019 complaint in all
`material respects.
`
`
`1
`
`
`Memorandum of Points and Authorities in Support of Medtronic
`CoreValve LLC’s Motion to Stay Litigation Pending Inter Partes Review
`
`
`
`Colibri Heart Valve LLC, Exhibit 2008, Page 7 of 13
`
`

`

`Case 8:20-cv-00847-DOC-JDE Document 50 Filed 09/04/20 Page 8 of 13 Page ID #:493
`
`
`
`day as the Rule 26 Scheduling Conference (ECF 45).
`
`III. STATEMENT OF FACTS
`
`A. The Asserted Patents and the Accused Products
`
`The two asserted patents relate to artificial heart valves and methods for using
`
`them. (ECF 30, ¶¶ 1, 4.) The ’294 patent consists of four method claims, and the
`
`’739 patent contains five apparatus claims. (Id. at ¶¶ 17-22). Plaintiff accuses
`
`Medtronic’s CoreValve™ product line of infringing all four claims of the ’294
`
`patent and at least claims 1, 2, 3, and 5 of the ’739 patent. (Id. at ¶¶ 49, 60.)
`
`B.
`
`The IPR Petitions
`
`1
`
`2
`
`3
`
`4
`
`5
`
`6
`
`7
`
`8
`
`9
`
`10
`
`On September 2, 2020, Medtronic filed IPR petitions for all claims of the
`
`11
`
`asserted patents. (ECF 51, Ex. 1 [IPR2020-01453] and Ex. 2 [IPR2020-01454].)
`
`12
`
`Plaintiff’s preliminary responses to the IPR petitions are due in roughly three
`
`13
`
`months, on or around December 15, 2020. 37 C.F.R. § 42.107(b). If Plaintiff so
`
`14
`
`chooses, it can waive the preliminary response in order to expedite the PTAB’s
`
`15
`
`decision whether to institute proceedings. Id. If Plaintiff does waive its preliminary
`
`16
`
`response, the institution decision could arrive within three months of that waiver.
`
`17
`
`35 U.S.C. § 314(b). Otherwise, the latest date for an institution decision would be
`
`18
`
`on or around March 15, 2020. Id. It is highly likely that the final written decision
`
`19
`
`will issue within 12 months, on or about March 15, 2021.
`
`20
`
`IV. LEGAL STANDARD
`
`21
`
`“Courts have inherent power to manage their dockets and stay proceedings,
`
`22
`
`including the authority to order a stay pending conclusion of a PTO reexamination.”
`
`23
`
`Ethicon, Inc. v. Quigg, 849 F.2d 1422, 1426-27 (Fed. Cir. 1988) (citations omitted).
`
`24
`
`A stay may be “particularly justified where the outcome of the reexamination would
`
`25
`
`be likely to assist the court in determining patent validity and, if the claims were
`
`26
`
`cancelled in the reexamination, would eliminate the need to try the infringement
`
`27
`
`issue.” In re Cygnus Telecomms. Tech., LLC, Patent Litig., 385 F. Supp. 2d 1022,
`
`28
`
`1023 (N.D. Cal. 2005) (citing Gould v. Control Laser Corp., 705 F.2d 1340, 1342
`
`
`
`
`
`2
`
`
`Memorandum of Points and Authorities in Support of Medtronic
`CoreValve LLC’s Motion to Stay Litigation Pending Inter Partes Review
`
`Colibri Heart Valve LLC, Exhibit 2008, Page 8 of 13
`
`

`

`Case 8:20-cv-00847-DOC-JDE Document 50 Filed 09/04/20 Page 9 of 13 Page ID #:494
`
`
`
`1
`
`2
`
`3
`
`4
`
`5
`
`6
`
`7
`
`8
`
`9
`
`(Fed. Cir. 1983)). Thus, there is a liberal policy in favor of granting motions to stay
`
`pending IPR, when, as here, the case is in its initial stages and there has been little or
`
`no discovery. See Limestone v. Micron Tech., No. SA CV 15-00278-DOC (RNBx),
`
`2016 WL 3598109, at *2 (C.D. Cal. Jan. 12, 2016).
`
`To determine whether to stay a case pending IPR, courts in this district
`
`typically consider three factors: “(1) whether discovery is complete and whether a
`
`trial date has been set; (2) whether a stay will simplify the issues in question and
`
`trial of the case; and (3) whether a stay would unduly prejudice or present a clear
`
`tactical disadvantage to the nonmoving party.” Universal Elecs., Inc. v. Universal
`
`10
`
`Remote Control, Inc., 943 F. Supp. 2d 1028, 1030-31 (C.D. Cal. 2013). The three
`
`11
`
`factors “are not exhaustive, however, as the decision whether to order a stay must be
`
`12
`
`based on the totality of the circumstances.” Polaris Innovations Ltd. v. Kingston
`
`13
`
`Tech. Co., Inc., No. 8:16-cv-00300-CJC-RAO, 2016 WL 7496740, at *1 (C.D. Cal.
`
`14
`
`Nov. 17, 2016) (citing Universal Elecs., Inc., 943 F. Supp. 2d at 1030-31).
`
`15
`
`V. DISCUSSION
`
`16
`
`17
`
`A. The Case Is in Its Infancy
`
`When evaluating the first factor, the stage of the proceeding, the test typically
`
`18
`
`employed is whether “there is more work ahead of the parties and the Court than
`
`19
`
`behind the parties and the Court.” Limestone, 2016 WL 3598109 at *3 (quoting
`
`20
`
`Semiconductor Energy Lab. Co., Ltd. v. Chimei Innolux Corp., No. SA CV 12-21-
`
`21
`
`JST (JPRx), 2012 WL 7170593, at *2 (C.D. Cal. Dec. 19, 2012)). That is certainly
`
`22
`
`the case here.
`
`23
`
`Discovery has not begun. (ECF 51 [Ellison Decl.], ¶ 6.) Initial disclosures
`
`24
`
`have not been exchanged,2 and the parties have not served any requests for
`
`25
`
`production, interrogatories, or requests for admission. (Id.) No depositions have
`
`26
`
`27
`
`28
`
`
`2 Initial disclosures are set to be exchanged ten days after the Court’s decision on
`Medtronic’s Motion to Dismiss (ECF 48).
`3
`
`
`
`Memorandum of Points and Authorities in Support of Medtronic
`CoreValve LLC’s Motion to Stay Litigation Pending Inter Partes Review
`
`
`
`Colibri Heart Valve LLC, Exhibit 2008, Page 9 of 13
`
`

`

`Case 8:20-cv-00847-DOC-JDE Document 50 Filed 09/04/20 Page 10 of 13 Page ID #:495
`
`
`
`1
`
`2
`
`3
`
`4
`
`5
`
`6
`
`7
`
`8
`
`9
`
`been noticed, nor third-party subpoenas issued. (Id.) The parties have not
`
`exchanged infringement or invalidity contentions, nor have they discussed claim
`
`construction. (Id.) Expert discovery has not commenced, and no summary
`
`judgment motions have been filed. (Id.) The only motion filed is Medtronic’s
`
`Motion to Dismiss the FAC, which—because that Motion is still pending—means
`
`that Medtronic has not yet answered Plaintiff’s FAC. (Id.)
`
`The parties submitted a Joint Rule 26(f) Report four days before this Motion
`
`(ECF 48), and the Scheduling Conference has not yet taken place, it is scheduled for
`
`September 14, 2020. Thus, no trial date has been set at this time, although it is
`
`10
`
`possible that one may be set by the time the parties’ briefs on this motion have been
`
`11
`
`taken under submission.
`
`12
`
`13
`
`14
`
`15
`
`Here, the early nature of the proceedings strongly favors a stay.
`
`B.
`
`The IPR Proceedings Could Entirely Resolve this Litigation, and at
`
`a Minimum Will Reduce the Burden on the Parties and the Court
`
`All of the asserted claims have been challenged in IPR. Because each patent
`
`16
`
`has so few claims, and each patent consists of just one independent claim, an
`
`17
`
`outcome in IPR proceedings has the potential to significantly streamline this
`
`18
`
`litigation, if not dispose of it entirely. See Wonderland Nursery Goods Co. v. Baby
`
`19
`
`Trend, Inc., No. EDCV 14-01153 VAP (SPx), 2015 WL 1809309, at *3 (C.D. Cal.
`
`20
`
`Apr. 20, 2015) (recognizing, for the second factor, that “because Defendants have
`
`21
`
`petitioned for review of all claims asserted in this action, the outcome of the IPR has
`
`22
`
`the potential to be case-dispositive”).3 Even if the case is not disposed of entirely,
`
`23
`
`because one or more of the challenged claims survive the IPR, the case still will be
`
`24
`
`25
`
`26
`
`27
`
`28
`
`
`3 Although the PTAB has not yet instituted IPR proceedings for the asserted patents,
`courts in this district often grant motions to stay before an institution decision. See
`Limestone, 2016 WL 3598109 at *4 (quoting Wonderland Nursery Goods, 2015 WL
`1809309 at *3) (granting motion to stay prior to IPR institution); see also
`Medtronic, Inc., et al. v. Axonics Modulation Techs., Inc., No. SA-CV-1902115-
`DOC-JDE, 2020 WL 5087820, at *2 (C.D. Cal. May 8, 2020) (same).
`4
`
`
`
`Memorandum of Points and Authorities in Support of Medtronic
`CoreValve LLC’s Motion to Stay Litigation Pending Inter Partes Review
`
`
`
`Colibri Heart Valve LLC, Exhibit 2008, Page 10 of 13
`
`

`

`Case 8:20-cv-00847-DOC-JDE Document 50 Filed 09/04/20 Page 11 of 13 Page ID #:496
`
`
`
`1
`
`2
`
`3
`
`4
`
`5
`
`6
`
`7
`
`8
`
`9
`
`streamlined because Medtronic will be estopped from raising defenses that were or
`
`could have been raised in the IPR, thereby reducing the issues for trial and the
`
`burden on the Court and the parties. 35 U.S.C. § 315(e)(2).
`
`Thus, this factor also weighs in favor of a stay.
`
`C.
`
`Plaintiff, Having Itself Already Invited Significant Delay, Will
`
`Suffer No Prejudice
`
`Plaintiff has “demonstrate[d] a lack of urgency in the prosecution of this
`
`case,” and therefore it will suffer no prejudice from a stay. Autoalert, Inc. v.
`
`Dominion Dealer Sols., LLC, No. SACV 12-1661-JST, 2013 WL 8014977, at *3
`
`10
`
`(C.D. Cal. May 22, 2013) (granting motion to stay pending IPR, and noting factors
`
`11
`
`“that undermine Plaintiff’s assertion of undue prejudice,” including that “Plaintiff
`
`12
`
`waited to file its Complaint for at least two years after acquiring its patents,” and
`
`13
`
`that “Plaintiff then waited more than three months from filing its Complaint to serve
`
`14
`
`it on Defendants”); see also PersonalWeb Techs., LLC v. Apple Inc., 69 F. Supp. 3d
`
`15
`
`1022, 1029 (N.D. Cal. 2014) (“Courts have repeatedly found no undue prejudice
`
`16
`
`unless the patentee makes a specific showing of prejudice beyond the delay
`
`17
`
`necessarily inherent in any stay.”). First, the asserted patents issued in 2014 and
`
`18
`
`2015, and the FAC indicates that some of the accused products have been on the
`
`19
`
`market since that time. (See ECF 30, ¶¶ 25, 31.) Plaintiff therefore waited nearly
`
`20
`
`five years to sue Medtronic, which indicates a lack of urgency on Plaintiff’s part.
`
`21
`
`Second, Plaintiff has not moved for a preliminary injunction, which belies any claim
`
`22
`
`Plaintiff might make that it needs an immediate injunction rather than damages. See
`
`23
`
`VirtualAgility Inc. v. Salesforce.com, Inc., 759 F.3d 1307, 1318-20 (Fed. Cir. 2014)
`
`24
`
`(finding that “rational reasons for not pursuing a preliminary injunction”
`
`25
`
`nevertheless contradicted the plaintiff’s “assertion that it needs injunctive relief as
`
`26
`
`soon as possible”). Third, Plaintiff began its litigation against Medtronic with a
`
`27
`
`self-imposed delay of five months: Plaintiff filed the December 2019 complaint, but
`
`28
`
`never served it, then waited until May 2020 to dismiss and re-file the same
`
`
`
`
`
`5
`
`
`Memorandum of Points and Authorities in Support of Medtronic
`CoreValve LLC’s Motion to Stay Litigation Pending Inter Partes Review
`
`Colibri Heart Valve LLC, Exhibit 2008, Page 11 of 13
`
`

`

`Case 8:20-cv-00847-DOC-JDE Document 50 Filed 09/04/20 Page 12 of 13 Page ID #:497
`
`
`
`1
`
`2
`
`3
`
`4
`
`5
`
`6
`
`7
`
`8
`
`9
`
`complaint. Fourth, Plaintiff has not resolved disputes in a timely manner. For
`
`example, when Medtronic pointed out problems with the complaint and the FAC,
`
`Plaintiff refused to fix them, forced Medtronic to file a Motion to Dismiss, and
`
`then—during the course of briefing—unilaterally “dropped” several of the
`
`problematic claims without excuse or explanation. (ECF 46, 15, 17.) Finally, it was
`
`Plaintiff—not Medtronic—that initially requested an extended briefing schedule and
`
`later hearing date for the Motion to Dismiss, thereby further delaying Medtronic’s
`
`answer. (ECF 51, ¶ 6.)
`
`Moreover, it should be undisputed that Medtronic and Plaintiff are not
`
`10
`
`competitors in the field of replacement heart valve devices. Plaintiff’s website
`
`11
`
`expressly states that its “products and technology are in clinical development” and
`
`12
`
`that “[n]o devices or other products are currently offered for sale by the company.”
`
`13
`
`(See Colibri Website, Tavi System Webpage, at https://www.colibrihv.com/
`
`14
`
`technology/tavi-system/.)4 This is confirmed by Plaintiff’s FAC, which not only
`
`15
`
`fails to allege that Plaintiff’s devices practice the asserted patents, but also refers to
`
`16
`
`early human feasibility studies associated with Plaintiff’s devices, which is an
`
`17
`
`investigation performed prior to obtaining regulatory approval for general use in the
`
`18
`
`U.S. (See ECF 30, ¶ 15.) This further weighs in favor of a stay. See Karl Storz
`
`19
`
`Endoscopy-America, Inc. v. Stryker Corp., No. 14-cv-00876-RS, at *4 (N.D. Cal.
`
`20
`
`Mar. 30, 2015) (“One relevant consideration in evaluating [Plaintiff’s] claims of
`
`21
`
`undue harm is whether the parties are sole competitors in the relevant markets.”).
`
`22
`
`23
`
`24
`
`25
`
`26
`
`27
`
`28
`
`Thus, this factor, like factors one and two, favors a stay.
`
`
`4 Medtronic does not anticipate that Plaintiff will dispute the accuracy of the
`statements on its own website. Thus, although these statements are not essential to a
`finding that the third factor favors a stay, they would nonetheless be judicially
`noticeable for that purpose. See Matthews v. Nat’l Football League Mgmt. Council,
`688 F.3d 1107, 1113 n.5 (9th Cir. 2012) (granting request to take judicial notice of
`opposing party’s website where opposing party did not object to the request or
`question the accuracy of the information contained therein).
`6
`
`
`
`Memorandum of Points and Authorities in Support of Medtronic
`CoreValve LLC’s Motion to Stay Litigation Pending Inter Partes Review
`
`
`
`Colibri Heart Valve LLC, Exhibit 2008, Page 12 of 13
`
`

`

`Case 8:20-cv-00847-DOC-JDE Document 50 Filed 09/04/20 Page 13 of 13 Page ID #:498
`
`1
`
`2
`
`3
`
`4
`
`5
`
`6
`
`7
`
`8
`
`9
`
`10
`
`11
`
`12
`
`13
`
`14
`
`15
`
`16
`
`17
`
`18
`
`19
`
`20
`
`21
`
`22
`
`23
`
`24
`
`25
`
`26
`
`27
`
`28
`
`
`
`VI. CONCLUSION
`
`For the reasons stated above, all three factors favor a stay of this litigation,
`
`and Medtronic respectfully requests that the Court stay these proceedings pending
`
`the outcome of Medtronic’s IPR petitions.
`
`
`Dated: September 4, 2020
`
`
`
`By: /s/ Martin M. Ellison
`
`
`
`Martin M. Ellison (SBN 292060)
`martin.ellison@dlapiper.com
`DLA PIPER LLP (US)
`2000 Avenue of the Stars
`Suite 400, North Tower
`Los Angeles, CA 90067
`T: (310) 595-3000 | F: (310) 595-3300
`
`Mark D. Fowler (SBN 124235)
`mark.fowler@dlapiper.com
`DLA PIPER LLP (US)
`2000 University Avenue
`East Palo Alto, California 94303-2250
`T: (650) 833-2000 | F: (650) 833-2001
`
`Kathryn Riley Grasso (SBN 211187)
`kathryn.riley@dlapiper.com
`DLA PIPER LLP (US)
`401 B Street, Suite 1700
`San Diego, CA 92101
`T: (619) 699-2700 | F: (619) 699-2701
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`7
`
`
`Memorandum of Points and Authorities in Support of Medtronic
`CoreValve LLC’s Motion to Stay Litigation Pending Inter Partes Review
`
`Colibri Heart Valve LLC, Exhibit 2008, Page 13 of 13
`
`

This document is available on Docket Alarm but you must sign up to view it.


Or .

Accessing this document will incur an additional charge of $.

After purchase, you can access this document again without charge.

Accept $ Charge
throbber

Still Working On It

This document is taking longer than usual to download. This can happen if we need to contact the court directly to obtain the document and their servers are running slowly.

Give it another minute or two to complete, and then try the refresh button.

throbber

A few More Minutes ... Still Working

It can take up to 5 minutes for us to download a document if the court servers are running slowly.

Thank you for your continued patience.

This document could not be displayed.

We could not find this document within its docket. Please go back to the docket page and check the link. If that does not work, go back to the docket and refresh it to pull the newest information.

Your account does not support viewing this document.

You need a Paid Account to view this document. Click here to change your account type.

Your account does not support viewing this document.

Set your membership status to view this document.

With a Docket Alarm membership, you'll get a whole lot more, including:

  • Up-to-date information for this case.
  • Email alerts whenever there is an update.
  • Full text search for other cases.
  • Get email alerts whenever a new case matches your search.

Become a Member

One Moment Please

The filing “” is large (MB) and is being downloaded.

Please refresh this page in a few minutes to see if the filing has been downloaded. The filing will also be emailed to you when the download completes.

Your document is on its way!

If you do not receive the document in five minutes, contact support at support@docketalarm.com.

Sealed Document

We are unable to display this document, it may be under a court ordered seal.

If you have proper credentials to access the file, you may proceed directly to the court's system using your government issued username and password.


Access Government Site

We are redirecting you
to a mobile optimized page.





Document Unreadable or Corrupt

Refresh this Document
Go to the Docket

We are unable to display this document.

Refresh this Document
Go to the Docket