Agilent Technologies Files Second Civil Action to Protect Intellectual Property

Files civil lawsuit against Changzhou Pannatek Co., including former Agilent employee  

Agilent Technologies Inc A has filed a civil lawsuit against Changzhou Pannatek Co., Ltd. ("Pannatek"), and a former employee of Agilent, alleging infringement of trade secrets, copyright of computer software, and petitioning the court to stop the defendants' use of Agilent's proprietary technologies. This follows the civil lawsuit Agilent filed last year against Shanghai Echrom Technologies Co., Ltd. ("Echrom"), and several former employees of Agilent for the same cause. Echrom and one of the ex-employees in that lawsuit are listed as co-defendants in the current lawsuit.

The complaint alleges trade secrets were illegally obtained by former employees of Agilent, who used the trade secrets to imitate an Agilent gas chromatograph. This lawsuit seeks to establish that the trade secrets were transferred from Echrom to Pannatek for the latter to further imitate Agilent's gas chromatograph.

"Agilent will take all appropriate legal action against those who infringe Agilent's intellectual property," said Michael Tang, Agilent senior vice president, and general counsel. "We are encouraged by the development of laws and government policies in China that are conducive to the protection of intellectual property."

In 1985, Agilent, through its predecessor company, Hewlett-Packard, became the first US high-tech company to enter a joint venture in China. It has continued to develop new technologies and products for the worldwide and China market. Agilent is a leader on initiatives relevant to China's 13^th Five Year Plan, such as food safety and authenticity, and solutions for air, water, and soil quality monitoring, as well as key drug development to fight cancer and other diseases.

About Agilent Technologies

Agilent Technologies Inc. A, is a global leader in life sciences, diagnostics, and applied chemical markets. With more than 50 years of insight and innovation, Agilent instruments, software, services, solutions, and people provide trusted answers to customers' most challenging questions. The company generated revenues of $4.47 billion in fiscal 2017 and employs 14,200 people worldwide. Information about Agilent is available at www.agilent.com.

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