Opinion ID: 1709
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Claims Regarding Irwin's Role as the Inventor of PhotoMedex's Laser Device

Text: PhotoMedex asserts that Defendants deceptively proclaimed Irwin was inventor of the XTRAC, i.e., that Irwin was the only, or at least the primary, inventor of the entire XTRAC laser system. Defendants respond that Irwin served as vice president of engineering at PhotoMedex where he was intimately involved in the development of the XTRAC system. Defendants also identify Irwin as the inventor of particular components of the XTRAC in patents. Defendants' commercial depiction of Irwin as inventor of the XTRAC is actionable to the extent it misled consumers into believing that Irwin was the sole inventor or made more than his actual share of inventive contributions. See Cook, Perkiss & Liehe, Inc. v. N. Cal. Collection Serv., Inc., 911 F.2d 242, 245 (9th Cir.1990) ([A] false advertising cause of action under the [Lanham] Act is not limited to literal falsehoods; it extends to false representations made by implication or innuendo.); see also Ariz. Cartridge Remanufacturers Ass'n, Inc. v. Lexmark Int'l, Inc., 421 F.3d 981, 985-86 (9th Cir.2005) (same for California state law actions). Calling Irwin the inventor of the XTRAC might have been misleading. Evidence supplied by PhotoMedex shows that Irwin was only named as an inventor in patents for XTRAC's cooling apparatus and that other individuals designed the bulk of the XTRAC system. Thus, we vacate summary judgment for the claims relating to Defendants' representations that Irwin was the inventor of the XTRAC and remand those claims for further proceedings.