Synthes sues Stryker for trade secret theft
This article was originally published in Clinica
Executive Summary
A US sales unit of Synthes has accused orthopaedics rival Stryker for hiring ex-employees of the Swiss multinational and using confidential information about Synthes to gain "an improper competitive advantage" in the market for spinal implants and surgical instruments. According to the complaint filed on 28 December in the Philadelphia federal court, the three former sales reps resigned from Synthes between August and October and started immediately working for Stryker and soliciting their previous customers. The sales reps have been named as defendants alongside Stryker, and charged with stealing trade secrets and breaching their contractual and fiduciary obligations to the company.