Biomet Announces Favorable Court Ruling Against Medtronic Sofamor Danek.

WARSAW, Ind. -- (NASDAQ:BMET) Biomet, Inc. today reported that the United States District Court for the Central District of California ruled this week that the new spinal implant polyaxial screw design of Medtronic Sofamor Danek, Inc. and Medtronic Sofamor Danek USA, Inc. also infringes U.S. Patent No. 5,474,555 (the "`555 patent"). The '555 patent is owned by Cross Medical Products, Inc. ("Cross"), a Biomet company. The Court previously found that Medtronic's spinal implant polyaxial screws marketed under the names MAS, M8, M10, Sextant, Vertex, Legacy 4.5 and Legacy 5.5 infringe the '555 patent and subsequently entered a permanent injunction. The ruling by the Court this week found that Medtronic's redesigned versions of those products, which appear to have been created in an attempt to design around the '555 patent, also infringe the `555 patent. Although Medtronic may appeal this latest infringement ruling, Cross will immediately request that the Court enter a permanent injunction against the redesigned MAS, M8, M10, Sextant, Vertex, Legacy 4.5 and Legacy 5.5 polyaxial screws.

In another ruling issued by the Court this week, the Court found that a Cross patent related to crosslinks used with spinal implants was invalid. The Court had recently ruled that Medtronic's L.P. Crosslinks, Low Profile Crosslink, Low Profile Crosslink Plate, Anterior Low Profile Crosslink, Low Profile Crosslink Multi-Span Plate, Multi-Span LPC, and X-10 Crosslink products infringed the patent.

In the remaining rulings issued by the Court, it ruled that Cross' C-Tek anterior cervical plate infringed two Medtronic patents, and that those two Medtronic patents are valid. The Court also ruled that Medtronic's Premier plate infringed a Cross anterior cervical plate patent, but that the patent was invalid because Medtronic invented its Premier plate before Cross invented its C-Tek plate. Sales of the C-Tek plate are significantly less than one percent of Biomet's net sales.

Dane A. Miller, Ph.D., Biomet's President and Chief Executive Officer, said, "Again, we are pleased that the Court found that Medtronic Sofamor Danek's redesigned polyaxial screws infringe our patent as we will continue to protect the unauthorized use of our valuable intellectual property rights. Although we were disappointed with C-Tek and crosslinks rulings, we intend to appeal those decisions. With respect to the C-Tek product, it represents a small percentage of our business and we have alternative product offerings."

Biomet, Inc. and its subsidiaries design, manufacture and market products used primarily by musculoskeletal medical specialists in both surgical and non-surgical therapy. The Company's product portfolio encompasses reconstructive products, including orthopedic joint replacement devices, bone cements and accessories, and dental reconstructive implants; fixation products, including electrical bone growth stimulators, internal and external orthopedic fixation devices, craniomaxillofacial implants and bone substitute materials; spinal products, including spinal stimulation devices, spinal hardware and orthobiologics; and other products, such as arthroscopy products and softgoods and bracing products. Headquartered in Warsaw, Indiana, Biomet and its subsidiaries currently distribute products in more than 100 countries.

For further information contact Greg W. Sasso, Vice President, Corporate Development and Communications at [phone] or Barbara Goslee, Manager, Corporate Communications at [phone].