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Court Affirms Cogent's Right Requiring Return of Technology Improperly Used by Northrop Grumman
California Superior Court Rules that Northrop Grumman Has No Right to Use Cogent Technology
South Pasadena, CA – May 9, 2007 – Cogent, Inc. (Nasdaq: COGT) today announced that the California Superior Court in Cogent's action against Northrop Grumman (NYSE: NOC) has found for Cogent on a critical legal issue in the case. The Court determined that Northrop Grumman had no right to sell, market, license, use, disclose, disseminate, or otherwise transfer Cogent's technology, software, source code, trade secrets, or confidential and proprietary information or any information or products derived therefrom, including any benchmark system or other system, for use in connection with the IDENT1 System. The IDENT1 System is a biometric based identification system in the U.K. developed by Northrop for the Police Information Technology Organization (PITO). The IDENT1 System uses Cogent fingerprint matching technology, which the Court has now found must be returned to Cogent. Cogent's remaining claims against Northrop have now been ordered to trial on September 4, 2007.
"We are pleased that the Court has confirmed Cogent's position that Northrop never had any right to use our technology in IDENT 1," commented Ming Hsieh, President and Chief Executive Officer of Cogent. "While Cogent regrets the unavoidable impact that the removal of its technology from Northrop's IDENT 1 system will have on fingerprint search accuracy in the U.K., Cogent cannot and will not permit the misappropriation of its proprietary technology by anyone for any purpose. Cogent intends to vigorously pursue its remaining claims against Northrop to conclusion."
