In recent years, litigation over cardiovascular stents--those lifesaving devices that keep arteries unblocked--has kept more than its fair share of the IP bar employed. But now one segment of the litigation has been put to rest, with Medtronic agreeing to pay $400 million to Abbott and $42 million to stent designer evYsio.

Although an $18 million verdict may not seem enormous, it's actually ten times the median damages award in patent infringement cases last year, according to a recent study by PricewaterhouseCoopers. This $1.8 million median award is the lowest figure in 16 years.

After a class action effort by ARS purchasers fails, the Anschutz Corporation stumbles in its attempt to bring an individual suit. Manhattan federal district court judge Loretta Preska once again rules that investors were given enough notice that Merrill Lynch was helping to prop up the ARS market.