NATICK, Mass., Oct. 12 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Boston Scientific Corporation (NYSE: BSX) today announced that the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit has affirmed the validity of a key cardiac resynchronization patent in a case against Medtronic, Inc. The court upheld the validity of U.S. Patent RE38,119 ('119 patent), which Guidant -- now part of Boston Scientific -- has exclusively licensed from Mirowski Family Ventures, LLC, the entity that holds the patent rights of Dr. Michel Mirowski, inventor of the implantable defibrillator. This victory supports previous court decisions related to the suit Medtronic filed in August, 2003, challenging its obligations to pay royalties under the '119 patent and seeking to have the patent declared invalid.

"We are pleased that the Court of Appeals has upheld the validity of this important patent," said Jim Tobin, President and Chief Executive Officer, Boston Scientific. "This victory reaffirms the strength of our cardiac rhythm management intellectual property portfolio and further spotlights our history of bringing innovative technologies to market that benefit clinicians and their patients."

Boston Scientific is a worldwide developer, manufacturer and marketer of medical devices whose products are used in a broad range of interventional medical specialties. For more information, please visit: http://www.bostonscientific.com/.

This press release contains forward-looking statements. The Company wishes to caution the reader of this press release that actual results may differ from those discussed in the forward-looking statements and may be adversely affected by, among other things, risks associated with clinical trials, the regulatory approval process, reimbursement policies, commercialization of new technologies, litigation, the Company's overall business strategy and other factors described in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

  CONTACT: Milan Kofol
           508-650-8569
           Investor Relations
           Boston Scientific Corporation

           Paul Donovan
           508-650-8541
           Media Relations
           Boston Scientific Corporation

SOURCE: Boston Scientific Corporation

CONTACT: Milan Kofol, Investor Relations, +1-508-650-8569, or Paul
Donovan, Media Relations, +1-508-650-8541, both of Boston Scientific
Corporation

Web site: http://www.bostonscientific.com/