SAN DIEGO–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Illumina, Inc. (NASDAQ: ILMN) today announced that the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California issued a preliminary injunction order against several BGI companies, including MGI Tech Co., Ltd., Complete Genomics Inc., BGI Americas Corp., and MGI Americas Inc. The preliminary injunction was granted in two patent infringement lawsuits that Illumina filed against BGI in June 2019 (Case No. 3:19-cv-03770) and February 2020 (Case No. 3:20-cv-01465).
The preliminary injunction order prohibits BGI from launching its sequencing instruments and related reagents in the United States. The order prohibits the supply, use or sale of both the standard and “CoolMPS” chemistries.
“We are pleased with the Court’s decision. It validates that BGI has blatantly copied Illumina’s proprietary sequencing chemistry,” said Charles Dadswell, SVP and General Counsel for Illumina. “Illumina’s patents reflect the hard work, dedication and investment made by Illumina and its scientists, revolutionizing the industry and dramatically driving down the cost of sequencing.”
The preliminary injunction is based on U.S. Patent Nos. 7,541,444; 7,566,537; 7,771,973; 9,410,200; and 10,480,025. The patents cover Illumina’s proprietary sequencing-by-synthesis chemistry. Related patent suits are pending in Denmark, Finland, Germany, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, and the UK. The trial in the US case is scheduled to begin on May 25, 2021.
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Illumina is improving human health by unlocking the power of the genome. Our focus on innovation has established us as the global leader in DNA sequencing and array-based technologies, serving customers in the research, clinical, and applied markets. Our products are used for applications in the life sciences, oncology, reproductive health, agriculture, and other emerging segments. To learn more, visit www.illumina.com and follow @illumina.