MAKO Surgical Corp (MAKO)

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Mako Surgical Wins Court Order Against Former Employee, Competitor

Apr 4, 2013 17:38:42 (ET)




By Kristin Jones

Medical-device maker Mako Surgical Corp. (MAKO) said it has won a court order barring a former sales manager from working for a competitor, Blue Belt Technologies.

Mako had gone to court to enforce a non-competition agreement between Mako and Jeffrey Gellman, who was hired as an area vice president of sales for Blue Belt earlier this year, Mako said.

An order issued by a federal court in Florida Thursday prohibits Mr. Gellman from working for Blue Belt in any way until August 2013, and allows him to work in only a limited capacity there until 2014. Blue Belt and Mr. Gellman have also been ordered to certify that all Mako proprietary information has been destroyed.

An attorney for Blue Belt and Mr. Gellman did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Neither Mr. Gellman nor a representative for Blue Belt could be immediately reached.

Mako Chief Executive Maurice Ferre said the company was pleased with the injunction, and will work to project its investments in the field of robotically assisted orthopedic surgery.

Mako makes a surgeon-interactive robotic arm designed to allow surgeons greater prediction with a partial knee or total hip replacement procedure called Makoplasty.

Shares rose 5.1% to $11.04 in after-hours trading. Through the close, the stock was down 18% since the start of the year.

Write to Kristin Jones at [e-mail]

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(END) Dow Jones Newswires

April 04, 2013 17:38 ET (21:38 GMT)