March 10, 2008

SeboTek group announced that Hear-Wear Technologies, LLC, an affiliate of SeboTek Hearing Instruments, LLC has signed a patent license agreement with Siemens Medical Instruments, Pte Ltd (“Siemens”). The license reportedly will grant Siemens worldwide usage to the Hear-Wear patent portfolio, which includes United States Patent Nos. 5,606,621; 7,016,512; 7,110,562; and 7,139,404, for RIC (receiver in the canal) devices. Siemens launched its RIC Centra Active last year.

Siemens and SeboTek both reportedly expect the industry will continue to see a substantial growth in the number of RIC style instruments sold which will account for a larger percentage of the overall hearing aid market.  The terms of the patent license agreement with Siemens are confidential.

“Having a dominant player in the industry such as Siemens affirm the value and importance of the Hear-Wear portfolio has been a gratifying confirmation of the years of hard work and perseverance that went into our creation of the RIC product,” says Jim Feeley, president of SeboTek and Hear-Wear.  SeboTek launched its receiver in the canal technology to the industry at AAA in April 2003. We were not just introducing a new product but an entirely new style concept, Feeley says. “Ultimately, our goal was to create a hearing system that would change the traditional fitting process and improve the overall consumer experience.”

Source: Sebotek