In This Article:
HORSHAM, Pa., Nov. 11, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- STRATA Skin Sciences, Inc. (“STRATA” or the “Company”) (NASDAQ: SSKN), a medical technology company dedicated to developing, commercializing, and marketing innovative products for the treatment of dermatologic conditions, announces that the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania entered a court order in favor of the Company in its complaint against LaserOptek America Corp. (“LaserOptek”), Monarch Aesthetic Services, Inc. d/b/a Monarch Laser Services (“MLS”), and The Pinnacle Health Group (“Pinnacle”), collectively referred to as the “Defendants.”
On August 19, 2024, STRATA filed a Complaint and a Motion for a Preliminary Injunction against the Defendants, citing unfair competition under federal and state laws regarding the marketing and sales of LaserOptek’s Pallas lasers in the United States. On November 8, 2024, the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania entered a court order pursuant to which:
-
LaserOptek and The Pinnacle Health Group, their employees, agents, sales representatives, distributors, officers, directors, and all those acting at their direction are enjoined from engaging in any sales, advertising, marketing or promotion of Pallas lasers that states or implies, directly or indirectly, that treatments with Pallas laser systems are reimbursable using CPT Codes 96920-96922; and
-
LaserOptek and The Pinnacle Health Group, their employees, agents, sales representatives, distributors, officers, directors, and all those acting at their direction are further barred from engaging in any sales, advertising, marketing or promotion of Pallas lasers in the United States that includes any false or misleading statements regarding the Pallas lasers or STRATA’s lasers
The court order was issued following a joint stipulation by the parties and as a partial conclusion of STRATA’s motion for a preliminary injunction. STRATA will continue pursuing its claims for equitable and monetary relief from LaserOptek and other parties acting in concert with them.
STRATA President and CEO Dr. Dolev Rafaeli commented, “We are satisfied with this partial resolution of our preliminary injunction demands, as it saves both parties time and resources. We look forward to the outcome of the litigation, as we intend to vigorously defend users, patients and our own partner clinics from the damaging use of a non-excimer laser that seeks reimbursement under the CPT codes established over 20 years ago and re-affirmed for exclusive use of treatments with excimer lasers by the American Medical Association CPT board. The attempt by distributors and sellers of technologies that are neither clinically proven nor comparable to our XTRAC® excimer laser technology to mislead current and potential users, while making false technological and efficacy claims, puts providers at risk of an unethical use of the CPT codes. To protect the integrity of our products, intellectual property, and brand, as well as our clinical partners and the underlying healthcare system, we are compelled to take legal action in instances like this. In addition to the potential harm to patients and providers, it is STRATA’s opinion that the monetary and reputational damages incurred by STRATA from the defendants’ behavior is significant and continues to mount, and we will continue to pursue this legal course of action to address this.”