A Chinese court ruled in favor of Align Technology in an intellectual property dispute, ordering Angelalign to halt sales of certain products and pay damages, though Angelalign plans to appeal, noting the decision is limited to China and has no immediate impact on customers.
Align Technology Inc announced a favorable judgment from the Jinan Intermediate People’s Court in China regarding a patent infringement lawsuit against Angelalign Technology’s operating subsidiaries in the country. In response, Angelalign stated it will appeal the August 10 ruling, noting the decision has not yet taken effect.
Details of the Ruling
The lawsuit, filed by Align in September 2025, centers on extraction-gap-closure technology. The court found that Angel’s use of its masterForce biomechanical simulation system and ATreat digital orthodontic treatment design system to generate A7 and A7 Speed premolar extraction treatment solutions infringes on Align’s patent rights.
According to a release from Align Technology, the court ordered Angel to stop using the patented technology, cease manufacturing and selling the infringing products in China, and pay Align RMB 10 million in damages.
“We respect the role of China’s courts in protecting intellectual property rights and are encouraged by this decision,” says Joe Hogan, president and CEO of Align Technology, in a release. “Protecting intellectual property is essential to sustaining that innovation and ensuring continued investment in technologies that benefit doctors and patients.”
Angelalign to Appeal
Angelalign maintains that its A7 Premolar Extraction Solution does not infringe on any valid patent. In a release, Angelalign emphasized that the preliminary decision only applies in China and has not impacted its customers or patients.
“The court’s decision is limited to China. Even in China, there is no immediate impact on our customers,” says Fox Hu, CEO of Angel, in a release. “We feel very good about growth in orthodontist support for our professional solutions around the world. We feel confident about winning this appeal against our competitor, given we’ve won a series of similar cases.”
Angelalign highlighted previous legal victories against Align, including a May 2026 ruling by the Local Division Düsseldorf of the Unified Patent Court in Germany, which rejected Align’s request for an injunction against the A7 solution. In the same release, the company also referenced two June 2026 judgments from the Zhengzhou Intermediate People’s Court in China that dismissed Align’s claims in separate patent disputes.
Ongoing Global Litigation
The Jinan court ruling is part of a broader, ongoing legal battle between the two clear aligner manufacturers.
Align noted a February 2026 preliminary injunction issued by the Unified Patent Court requiring Angel to cease infringement of Align’s ClinCheck Live Update technology, a decision upheld on appeal. Additionally, the US International Trade Commission held an evidentiary hearing in July 2026 concerning five patents asserted by Align against Angel. An initial determination from the commission regarding the merits of Align’s claims is expected in November 2026.
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