SanDisk Files Multiple Actions Against STMicroelectronics; Actions Seek to Stop Sale of ST's NAND Chips and Invalidate ST Patents

-- SanDisk(R) Corporation (Nasdaq:SNDK) announced today the commencement of litigation against STMicroelectronics and its subsidiaries. SanDisk filed two actions:

• A complaint with the United States International Trade Commission (ITC) seeking an investigation as to whether NAND flash memory chips manufactured by STMicroelectronics and its subsidiaries and sold in the United States infringe SanDisk's United States Patent No. 5,172,338 and requesting that ST's NAND flash memory chips be barred from sale in the United States; and
• An action in the United States District Court for the Northern District of California involving the same patent as well as seeking an order declaring that SanDisk's products do not infringe 14 United States Patents assigned to STMicroelectronics and/or that such patents are invalid.

"The ITC confirmed the validity of our 5,172,338 patent in 1997 in our action against Samsung Electronics. We are looking forward to a speedy decision by the ITC," said E. Earle Thompson, SanDisk's Chief Intellectual Property Counsel. "These actions are part of SanDisk's ongoing strategy to ensure that our important intellectual property rights are respected. Further, our District Court action asks the Court to confirm our judgment that those 14 STMicroelectronic's patents are invalid and/or not infringed by SanDisk's products," continued Thompson.

SanDisk, the world's largest supplier of flash memory data storage card products, designs, manufactures and markets industry-standard, solid-state data, digital imaging and audio storage products using its patented, high density flash memory and controller technology. SanDisk is based in Sunnyvale, Calif.

The matters discussed in this news release contain forward looking statements that are subject to certain risks and uncertainties as described under the caption, "Factors That May Affect Future Results," specifically, the section entitled "Risks Related to Our Intellectual Property" in SanDisk's annual report on Form 10-K and quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. SanDisk assumes no obligation to update the information in this release.

SanDisk's web site/home page address: http://www.sandisk.com.

SOURCE: SanDisk