by LI Kewen

Chinese medical device makers are facing mounting patent challenges in Europe as Abbott Laboratories steps up legal action against rivals in the fast-growing market for continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) systems.

Sinocare, SiBionics and MicroTech Medical have all been drawn into disputes with Abbott, highlighting how intellectual property has become a major hurdle for China's MedTech exporters. CGM devices track blood sugar through subcutaneous sensors instead of finger-prick tests.

Shenzhen-listed Sinocare, China's largest glucose-monitor maker, is one of Abbott's main targets. The U.S. firm alleges that Sinocare's GlucoMen iCan device—distributed in Europe by A. Menarini Diagnostics—infringes its patents. Sinocare's U.S. subsidiary Trividia Health earlier settled a cross-licensing dispute with Roche, cutting parent profit by 136 million yuan (about US$19 million) in the third quarter.

Under Europe's new Unified Patent Court (UPC), a court in The Hague partly upheld Abbott's claims in October, granting one injunction and rejecting another. Sinocare and Menarini have suspended sales of the model in affected markets pending appeal.

Sinocare had previously defeated Abbott's 3D trademark lawsuit in the U.K. High Court, where judges ruled the product's round design was functional rather than imitative.

Abbott's actions have also hit other Chinese CGM makers. SiBionics, backed by HongShan (formerly Sequoia China), settled part of a German case last year by agreeing to halt some sales, VCBeat reported. In 2024, it faced three injunctions from Abbott, with further actions filed in the UK, Italy, and Spain against its affiliates and distributors. MicroTech Medical, a Hangzhou-based diabetes management firm, faces injunction proceedings in the Netherlands.

Sinocare said it is strengthening its patent portfolio to address overseas legal risks. Excluding one-off costs from the Roche settlement, its third-quarter net profit rose 82% from a year earlier to 105 million yuan.

Continuous glucose monitoring is one of the most competitive fields in medical technology. LI Xinyi, Sinocare's vice-chair, said such patent battles are inevitable for Chinese firms expanding abroad, adding that stronger innovation and intellectual property strategies are essential for long-term growth.