REUTERS/Thomas Peter
(Reuters) – Gene-sequencing company 10x Genomics Inc sued startup Parse Biosciences Inc in Delaware federal court Wednesday, alleging its gene-analysis kits infringe patents related to 10x's Chromium platform.
Pleasanton, California-based 10x said in the lawsuit that its competitor has "made clear that it intends nothing less than to copy 10x's complete lineup of single-cell products wholesale."
A Parse spokesperson on Thursday said the company will fight the lawsuit and "will not let competition prevent us from making single-cell genomics more accessible to the broader community." The Seattle-based company raised more than $41.5 million in startup funding in February.
A 10x spokesperson said Thursday that the company has invested more than $1 billion in developing its technologies and will "vigorously defend our products and broad intellectual property portfolio."
Single-cell genomics allows scientists to study genes on a cell-by-cell basis, at a more individualized level than traditional technology. 10x said in the lawsuit that its products have led to breakthrough discoveries related to diseases like COVID-19, cystic fibrosis, and types of cancer function.
10x accused Parse's products of copying its patented technology for tagging molecules with barcodes for tracking. 10x licenses some of the patents from Stanford University, which is also a party in the case.
A representative for Stanford did not immediately respond to a request for comment Thursday.
10x settled a multi-front genomics patent fight with rival Bio-Rad Laboratories Inc last year. It also sued biotech company NanoString Technologies last year for allegedly infringing its patents, in a case that is still ongoing.
The case is 10x Genomics Inc v. Parse Biosciences Inc, U.S. District Court for the District of Delaware, No. 1:22-cv-01117.
For 10x: Nicholas Groombridge of Paul Weiss Rifkind Wharton & Garrison
For Parse: not available
(NOTE: This story has been updated with comment from Parse and 10x.)
Read more:
Bio-Rad, 10x Genomics settle genomics patent war
10x Genomics sues NanoString over RNA-analysis patents
Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.
Thomson Reuters
Blake Brittain reports on intellectual property law, including patents, trademarks, copyrights and trade secrets. Reach him at blake.brittain@thomsonreuters.com
Sara Merken, David Thomas
Gregg Wirth
Eve Starks
Natalie Runyon
Reuters, the news and media division of Thomson Reuters, is the world’s largest multimedia news provider, reaching billions of people worldwide every day. Reuters provides business, financial, national and international news to professionals via desktop terminals, the world's media organizations, industry events and directly to consumers.
Build the strongest argument relying on authoritative content, attorney-editor expertise, and industry defining technology.
The most comprehensive solution to manage all your complex and ever-expanding tax and compliance needs.
The industry leader for online information for tax, accounting and finance professionals.
Access unmatched financial data, news and content in a highly-customised workflow experience on desktop, web and mobile.
Browse an unrivalled portfolio of real-time and historical market data and insights from worldwide sources and experts.
Screen for heightened risk individual and entities globally to help uncover hidden risks in business relationships and human networks.
All quotes delayed a minimum of 15 minutes. See here for a complete list of exchanges and delays.
© 2022 Reuters. All rights reserved
