Is AngioDynamics Right to Pick a Fight With Bard?

AngioDynamics is suing Bard for allegedly violating federal antitrust laws by tying the sale of its tip confirmation system to its own line of PICCs.

Amanda Pedersen

AngioDynamics is none too pleased with competitor C.R. Bard's sales practice in the peripherally inserted central catheters (PICC) market.

The Albany, NY-based company is suing Bard for allegedly violating federal antitrust laws by tying the sale of its tip confirmation system to its own line of PICCs. This puts AngioDynamics at a competitive disadvantage, the company said, because customers who want to buy Bard's tip location system must also buy Bard's PICCs. AngioDynamics sells the BioFlo PICCs, and claims that they are superior. Tip location systems are designed to aid clinicians in the bed-side placement of a PICC.

The lawsuit could potentially hurt BD, which recently agreed to buy Bard for a whopping $24 billion in cash and stock. AngioDynamics filed the lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of New York.

"This case involves a classic violation of the antitrust laws," said Philip Iovieno, of Boies Schiller Flexner, who is representing AngioDynamics in the case.

"We are committed to fighting Bard's illegal scheme that has been detrimental to patients, reduced competition, and led to increased cost in the marketplace, and violated the federal antitrust laws," said Jim Clemmer, president and CEO of AngioDynamics.

The company not only aims to end Bard's so-called "illegal scheme" but also wants to recover what it considers to be treble damages for its losses.

According to Chad Campbell, senior vice president and general manager of AngioDynamics's vascular access division, the BioFlo PICCs include the company's Endexo technology, which he said has been shown to reduce thrombus accumulation by 87% compared to traditional PICCs.

Amanda Pedersen is Qmed's news editor. Contact her at [email protected].

[Image courtesy of Pixaby]