Genetic Technologies hits U.S. firms with patent infringement

Genetic Technologies has filed a patent infringement suit against nine U.S. biotechnology companies, including Bechman Coulter and Monsanto.

The patent at the centre of the suit refers to non-coding DNA technologies that Genetic Technologies claims are being used by the biotech firms without license.

The counter-parties in the suit are Beckman Coulter, Orchid Cellmark, Gen-Probe, Interleukin Genetics, Molecular Pathology Laboratory Network, Monsanto, PIC USA, Sunrise Medical Laboratories and Pioneer Hi-Bred International.

The non-coding DNA technology in question is already licensed to 39 other companies.

In 2008 Genetic Technologies stirred up controversy by demanding several Australian labs cease performing a test for the breast cancer genes BRCA1 and BRCA2 for which the company held an exclusive license. Genetic Technologies later withdrew the threat and allowed testing for the genes to continue.

The company has been successful in other patent infringement suits, such as in 2005 against Applera Corporation (now ABI Biosystems).