Item 8.01 Other Events

C. R. Bard, Inc. today announced with respect to its patent infringement suit against W.L. Gore & Associates ("Gore") that the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit ("Court of Appeals") reaffirmed its opinion issued on February 10, 2012, including the ongoing royalty rates as set by the U.S. District Court for the District of Arizona (the "District Court"), but for the sole issue of willfulness, which was remanded to the District Court.

Through March 31, 2012, Gore has deposited or secured with the District Court damages of approximately $887 million. Of this amount, approximately $681 million was today affirmed by the Court of Appeals, as were ongoing royalties due for future infringing sales, regardless of any final determination of willfulness. Approximately $185 million in enhanced damages for willfulness and approximately $21 million in attorneys' fees and interest pertain to the issue remanded to the District Court.

The District Court in Bard's patent infringement suit against Gore had found, among other things, that Gore willfully infringed Bard's patent number 6,436,135 by selling certain ePTFE vascular grafts and stent-grafts. Gore may request a review of the decision by the U.S. Supreme Court.

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