CoorsTek Bioceramics has secured the rights to market its pink ceramic hip components for orthopedic devices following a U.S. Supreme Court decision. The Court declined to review a trademark case against CeramTec GmbH, which sought trademark rights to the color pink for its ceramic femoral heads. The U.S. Court of Appeals had previously upheld a decision that found the pink color trademark unregistrable due to its functional nature.
Mary Gritzmacher, Chief Legal Officer of CoorsTek, said, “This ruling marks a red line for CoorsTek Bioceramics in our case with CeramTec. We are gratified and relieved to receive affirmation of our longstanding position that our material formulation is predicated upon creating components that provide the best possible outcomes for patients—not a marketing tactic.”
CoorsTek initiated legal action in 2014 when CeramTec enforced its claim over the pink color used in its hip components. The components made from CoorsTek’s material are designed to provide enhanced performance and durability, crucial for the half a million hip replacement surgeries performed annually in the U.S.
Jonathan Coors, CEO of CoorsTek, emphasized the importance of maintaining a competitive marketplace for hip replacement components. He noted, “These components are an essential part of the hip arthroplasty value chain. It is vital to have a competitive marketplace and multiple sources of supply.”
CoorsTek Bioceramics specializes in manufacturing technical ceramic implant components for the medical device industry, supported by over 110 years of expertise in technical ceramics.
The primary source was GlobeNewswire.
