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Xingraphics wins patent court case brought by Agfa Geveart BV

Press release from the issuing company

THE HAGUE, Netherlands. -- Chengdu Xingraphics Co., Ltd. (Xingraphics), a leading developer and manufacturer of thermal printing plates and related chemistry, announced today that the The Hague District Court has issued a favorable set of rulings in the company's patent infringement lawsuit with Agfa Geveart BV.

The lawsuit alleges that Xingraphics FIT and FIT Xtra thermal plate technology infringes on Patent No. EP823327 in the name of Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation, which relates to a "method for making positive photosensitive lithographic printing plates" the claiming patent of Agfa. This patent was acquired by Agfa through the acquisition of Lastra in October of 2004.

Xingraphics has maintained and proved in court that its technology was superior to Agfa's in performance and characteristic and is in no way infringing Agfa's patent(s). Xingraphics has also defended all its dealers world wide by indemnifying them commercially and financially to protect their interest as much as our own including countries which patent EP823327 does not apply in further proof of their confidence against Agfa's actions.

The DC The Hague on Wednesday 22nd July 2009 handed their judgment in favour of Xingraphics on the following conclusions:

1. MCC patent is valid
2-Agfa's claim of infringement has been dismissed: NO Infringement of their patent
3-All seizures lifted allowing Xingraphics full access to their inventory
4-Agfa has to pay Xingraphics legal costs.

"Today's judgment is a major step forward for our organization, our valued partners and of course our customers world wide that deserve to have access to an alternative thermal CtP plate technology that is of equal to or higher quality than from our competitors without being threatened to make that choice" said Safwen Hijazi, Xingraphics Corporate Vice President. "We are grateful to our Dutch team of lawyers who have demonstrated that Agfa's negative and harmful accusations which were largely directed at our partners were, as we have always indicated, unfounded, so this judgment will allow us to put that part of this negative campaign by Agfa to a close." "As Intellectual Property rights owners, Xingraphics respects such rights but we will vigorously defend our position when allegations are unfairly aimed at us"