Billionaire Hansjorg Wyss – accused of paying nothing to a surgeon who invented world-leading spinal implants – once praised him for developing ‘the best device ever’.
Wyss, co-owner of Chelsea Football Club, made the comments in a letter to be read out at an event in 2007 where Professor John Webb, who had treated the King for a polo injury, was being honoured for his surgical endeavours.
The Nottingham doctor, now 82, and his Swiss colleague Max Aebi, 77, developed the Universal Spine System over 20 years to treat scoliosis – curvature of the spine. Both are still seeking ‘fair payment’, which they plan to use to fund further medical research.
In the letter, seen by The Mail on Sunday, Wyss said: ‘Without a doubt your innovative development resulted in the best device ever produced for spinal deformity.’
Praise: Billionaire Hansjorg Wyss (pictured) is accused of paying nothing to a surgeon who invented world-leading spinal implants
Wyss, 90, who bankrolled the Swiss-based AO research foundation which the surgeons worked for, and manufactured the implants via his company Synthes, noted how the devices helped ‘hundreds of thousands of people’, adding: ‘Your contributions have been truly immense and are highly appreciated in the AO and Synthes families.’
Webb and Aebi say they were asked to sign papers at a conference, in Webb’s case in a bar, handing over intellectual property rights without legal advice, missing out on royalties of up to £48.5 million.
It can also be revealed that Wyss counter-signed a letter asking Johnson & Johnson, which bought Synthes’s rights, to ‘look into’ a request by Webb for fair payment in 2015.
Wyss was approached for comment. Johnson & Johnson said there was ‘no basis’ for Webb and Aebi’s claim.
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