Cardiac Science Bid to Block Zoll Sales Denied

Cardiac Science Inc. lost a bid to block rival Zoll Medical Corp. from selling heart defibrillators used in public places.

U.S. District Judge Stephen Wilson in Los Angeles denied Cardiac Science’s request after hearing arguments. The Irvine-based company sued in March, days after Zoll received Food and Drug Administration approval for an automated external defibrillator that can be used by trained people such as lifeguards and flight attendants.

Zoll had sold its products only to hospitals and emergency workers before the FDA approval.

Cardiac Science claims that Zoll merely tinkered with its patented method of measuring force on a patient’s chest during cardiopulmonary resuscitation. Zoll counters that its defibrillator is significantly different because it measures the distance the patient’s chest is compressed.

Before news of the decision was released, Cardiac Science closed off 21 cents at $3.50 on Nasdaq, and Zoll rose 61 cents to $33.14 on the NYSE.