Complete Genomics to Vigorously Defend Against Patent Infringement Suit

Complete Genomics, Inc. has announced that it intends to vigorously defend itself against the patent infringement suit recently filed by Illumina, Inc. in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California.

The complaint alleges that Complete infringes a single Illumina patent relating to a "Method for Sequencing a Polynucleotide Template." Complete considers the lawsuit to be wholly without merit.

"Despite this move by Illumina, we remain fully committed to the strategy and actions that we recently announced," stated Dr. Clifford A. Reid, Ph.D., Complete's chairman, president and chief executive officer.

Dr. Reid continued, "We will continue to fully service and support our customers while defending against this lawsuit. This is yet another attempt by Illumina to compete in the courtroom instead of the marketplace and reflects the extent to which it sees Complete's more accurate genome sequencing technology as a competitive threat."

In August 2010, Illumina used Complete for infringement of another patent, in a case now pending in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California.

Complete considers that suit to also be without merit and recently filed a motion for summary judgment setting forth numerous grounds for the patent in issue being declared invalid.