The Unified Patent Court ordered a recall and destruction of infringing breast cancer screening systems in Germany, France, and the Netherlands.
Hologic Inc announced a legal victory in the Unified Patent Court in Germany, which ruled that Siemens infringed on a patent related to Hologic mammography technology. According to a company announcement, the court issued an injunction prohibiting Siemens from manufacturing, marketing, or selling its Mammomat B.brilliant systems in Germany, France, and the Netherlands.
The court determined on June 10, 2026, that Siemens infringed upon European Patent EP 2 352 431, which covers Hologic focusing technology on the Envision platform. Hologic states this technology was the first Food and Drug Administration-approved mammography innovation of its kind.
In addition to the injunction, the court required Siemens to execute a mandatory recall and destruction of all affected systems in the three countries. Siemens must also refund customers for the purchase price of the infringing systems and reimburse them for logistics and related costs associated with the recall. Hologic will receive retroactive and future damages and costs to be determined by the court.
“This ruling is a decisive validation of the strength and originality of Hologic’s innovation—and, more importantly, of the standards we believe women deserve in breast cancer screening,” says Essex Mitchell, chief operating officer at Hologic, in a release. “Our technologies are designed to help detect cancer earlier, improve diagnostic confidence, and ultimately save lives.”
Mitchell also notes that patent infringement risks undermining the development of new products that physicians rely on for patient care. According to the company, Hologic intends to continue working to ensure clinicians have access to advanced technologies and that women worldwide have access to screening innovations.
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