Helicos Files Patent Infringement Law Suit against Pacific Biosciences

Helicos when they started out was one of the major companies exploring genomics and over the years the competition has heated up. From earlier this year Pacific BioSciences made their announcement on the 15 minutes sequence. Pacific BioSciences also backing from Intel.

Pacific BioSciences Announces a 15 Minute Genome Mapping for Less Than $1000 by 2013

A couple years ago I spoke with the Chief Science Office at Helicos and now they are shifting away from Genomic research to molecular. The lawsuit filed by Helicos states Pacific violated 4 of their patents relating to their single sequencing DNA process. BD

Helicos BioSciences and Personalized Medicine - Featured Interview with Dr. Patrice Milos

NEW YORK (GenomeWeb News) – Helicos Biosciences has filed a suit against Pacific Biosciences alleging infringement of four patents held by the firm.

Helicos filed the suit Friday in the US District Court for the District of Delaware. It claims that Pacific Biosciences is infringing claims in four of its US Patents: Nos. 7,645,596; 7,037,687; 7,169,560; and 7,767,400.

Those patents cover Helicos' methods for sequencing a single strand of DNA by synthesizing a complementary strand of DNA using labeled nucleotide bases. This sequencing-by-synthesis method underlies Helicos' single-molecule sequencing platform.

Helicos has asked the court to find that PacBio is willfully infringing the four patents and to order a permanent injunction prohibiting PacBio from further infringement. It also is seeking damages associated with infringement and loss of market share and costs and attorneys' fees associated with the lawsuit.

Helicos is currently undergoing a restructuring, shifting its focus from the genomics research market to the molecular diagnostics market. Though it recently reported a nearly 200 percent increase in its second-quarter revenues, the firm also said that as of Aug. 11 it had only $3.7 million in cash and cash equivalents.

Helicos Files Patent Infringement Suit against Pacific Biosciences | GenomeWeb Daily News | Sequencing | GenomeWeb