Facet Sues Asahi, Alleging Theft of Lancet Technology

Atlanta-based device company Facet Technologies is suing its former partner of almost 50 years Asahi Polyslider, an Osaka, Japan-based device manufacturer, for allegedly stealing Facet’s diabetes lancet technology.

According to Facet, it became the exclusive supplier of such lancets to major pharmaceutical companies, such as Abbott, Roche and a Johnson & Johnson subsidiary, relying on Asahi to manufacture the devices.

But in the suit filed in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, Facet is alleging that, “after stealing our designs, Asahi held Facet’s customers hostage, threatening to cut off supply of life-sustaining testing devices if they did not work directly with Asahi,” according to Facet’s Chairman Kevin Seifert.

Facet is seeking a jury trial to address its allegations and millions of dollars in damages.