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COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES
3 Months Ended
Jun. 27, 2026
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]  
COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES
14. COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES
The Company is a party to various legal proceedings and claims arising out of the ordinary course of its business. The Company believes that, except for those matters described below, there are no other proceedings or claims pending against it the ultimate resolution of which could have a material adverse effect on its financial condition or results of operations. At each reporting period, management evaluates whether or not a potential loss amount or a potential range of loss is probable and reasonably estimable under FASB ASC Topic 450, Contingencies, for all matters. Legal costs are expensed as incurred.
Plasma Patent Litigation
During the first quarter of fiscal 2026, the Company filed a complaint against Terumo BCT in U.S. District Court for the District of Colorado (1:25-cv-01409). The complaint alleges that Terumo BCT infringes the Company’s intellectual property rights with respect to its donor-centric blood plasma collection patents, as embodied in the Company’s NexSys PCS® with YES® technology and NexSys PCS with Persona® technology. On June 26, 2025, Terumo filed a motion to dismiss. On July 17, 2025 and August 12, 2025, the Company filed amended complaints adding recently issued patents. On September 2, 2025, Terumo filed a partial motion to dismiss with prejudice claiming that the Company’s asserted patents were invalid under 35 U.S.C. section 101. Terumo filed nine inter partes and post-grant review petitions with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (PTO) seeking to invalidate the asserted patents. In October 2025, Terumo filed a motion to stay the district court proceedings pending resolution of the PTO petitions. All nine of the petitions were denied by the PTO, rendering moot the motion to stay.
During the second quarter of fiscal 2026, the Company filed a complaint against Fresenius Kabi USA LLC in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois (1:25-cv-08680). The complaint alleges that Fresenius Kabi infringes the Company’s intellectual property rights with respect to its donor-centric blood plasma collection patents, as embodied in the Company’s NexSys PCS with YES technology and NexSys PCS with Persona technology. In October 2025, the Company filed an amended complaint to add Fenwal Inc. and Fresenius Kabi AG as parties to the matter. In December 2025, the Fenwal filed its answer and counterclaims, alleging non-infringement and invalidity of the Company’s asserted patents and alleging infringement by the Company of certain of Fenwal’s U.S. patents. In May 2026, Fenwal amended its counterclaim, alleging inequitable conduct and Walker Process antitrust violations. The Company has filed its answer, denying all counterclaims.
While the Company will incur costs in the course of pursuing these claims, and the outcome of litigation is inherently uncertain, the Company believes this is a necessary and appropriate action to safeguard its innovations, protect its intellectual property, and further the growth and development of its business.